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THE RACE FOR WEALTH 



CONSIDERED IN A SERIES OF LETTERS 






BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 





NEW YORK : 

THE AUTHORS' PUBLISHING COMPANY, 

1878. 









Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, by 

JAMES CORLEY, 
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C. 



■■ 



OUTLINE OF THE CONTENTS. 



PAGE. 

LETTER I.— From the Sister— The labor and pain we 
must undergo, and the mean or base actions we must 
submit to, and commit, in order to accumulate vast 
wealth — Milton's opinion regarding riches 7 

LETTER II.— From the Brother— Shows the need and 
utility of great wealth — do women make no efforts to 
gain riches ? 13 

LETTER III. — Defends women for wishing for wealth 
— shows the dangers of vast accumulations of private 
wealth — no nation can be too rich, etc., etc. — honesty 
as between employer and employee — are the gains 
worth the sacrifices made in the Race for Wealth? — 
shows how rich benefactors and the founders of 
hospitals are spoken of — the charity of duty and that 
of impulse — neither mankind nor heaven can be 
bribed by vast wealth — fame may be secured without 
great riches or genius 13 

LETTER IV.— Labor and pain must be suffered by the 
moderate as well as by the avaricious in the Race for 
Wealth — defense of the rich who bestow public en- 
dowments — tlie absurdity of Hie desire for equality of 
property — its effects among the Shakers — the injustice 
which that idea causes among workmen and the poor. 30 

LETTER V.— The moderate do not suffer as much as 
the greedy in the Race— acknowledges having been 
too severe against the rich — shows some of the causes 
of avarice in the Race — gaudy display and ostenta- 



4 OUTLINE OF THE CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

tion — how greed is aided by literature — and by wealth 
being almost the only means of securing general 
distinction 36 

LETTER VI.— Acknowledges -that the moderate do not 
. undergo as much as the avaricious in the Race — asks 
how far a moderate man may advance in the Race 44 

LETTER VII. — Answers that question — not to wish for 
a five-hundred-thousand-dollar palace, but to be con- 
tent with a plain, substantial house, etc. — why the 
amount of private wealth should not be very re- 
stricted — the effects of the Race on public men and 
on the country — suppression of public corruption 
impeded by the too ready pardon of delinquents — 
how these should be treated — the ont-purse power 
and the one-man power equally injurious 48 

LETTER VIII. — Suggestions for checking eagerness in 
the Race — A Limit Law, what it is, and what it may 
effect — quarrels among heirs on the death of the rich 
exemplified on the recent decease of a great million- 
aire — moral obstructions to the Race — contrasts mod- 
eration with eagerness — habit of looking downward 
as well as upward — habit of frequenting literary and 
artistical society 52 

LETTER IX. — Approves of the suggestion of a Limit 
Law, as being likely to produce a moderate inequality 
of property — will vast accumulations of private wealth 
bring on revolution? — the measure of wealth of thirty 
years ago, compared with that of the present time — 
the results — the power of women to have good laws 
enacted — a Limit Law would prevent Labor Strikes — 
how? — that law will not bring on the Millennium, but 
it will, etc., etc. — should a party deformed to have that 
Law enacted? — a summary of the points of the law 
and of the suggestions — higher motives than fear of 
labor, or hope of applause from men, required to re- 
strain from an ea°;er Race for Wealth G2 



OUTLINE OF THE CONTENTS. 



LETTER X. — Presents the higher motives offered by re- 
ligion to restrain eagerness in the Race for "Wealth — 
seven essential points stated— conformity of the 
Christian religion with the nature of man in regard 
to riches — texts and remarks regarding industry and 
economy from both Testaments 71 

LETTER XL — Texts and remarks on covctousness and 
riches — example of the instability of riches afforded 
by the f ate of a living poor man, but lately a million- 
aire — the rich should not despise the poor, nor the 
poor hate the rich — injustice of both — poverty no 
merit, nor riches a sin — eagerness restrained by the 
desire for the rewards of heaven — why these are not 
precisely described — what is said regarding ihem in 
the Testaments '. 79 

LETTER XII.— Acknowledges his conviction of the 
evils of covetousness and of vast private riches — but 
will continue in the Race, though with moderation — 
states the course he will pursue, and his hopes 89 

LETTER XIII.— The Brother's absence from home be- 
ing prolonged, he solicits a continuance of the cor- 
respondence — shows how Communists neglect a 
principle of man's nature in their plans — shows that 
community of property is understood to have two 
meanings, and taken in either sense, it must fail — 
shows the absurdity of the Communist saying, 
" property is robbery" — shows that the principle ap- 
plied to Railroads, &c, could not be advantageous — 
shows that even in community capital must be under 
the control of a few — shows the absurdity of the 
phrase, "The emancipation of working men" — 
shows the danger of accumulating vast masses of 
property, exemplified by events in France, England 
and the Italian Republics — shows that from similar 
causes, similar events may occur in the United States 
— shows what may be the thoughts of the poor if great 



6 OUTLINE OF TEE CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

disasters befall the richer parts of our cities — shows 
that disaster may not be so distant from us, as sup- 
posed 93 

LETTER XIV.— Reviews a speech of a great Orator 
and philanthropist of Boston, during which he de- 
clared that the Labor Movement, which he supports, 
means, " the equalization of property " 106 

LETTER XV.— Shows the error of speaking of em- 
ployers and workmen as if they were natural enemies 
— shows that loss and gain occur in both ranks — gives 
remarks on Savings Banks — remarks on the rights of 
women to all employments — the rich unduly blamed 
for holding their wealth firmly — taxes redistribute 
property — danger to wealth from the massing of 
populations in cities — the patience and discontent of 
the poor — extracts from Lord Bacon's Essay on Riches 1 1 4 

LETTER XVI. — Gives some observations on marriage 
— how it may be raised to its due estimation in pub- 
lic opinion, and purify morals — what new laws re- 
garding it should be enacted— the free lover system 
— how the State is blamable in the matter — remarks 
on Bacon's Essay on "Love " — extracts from Bishop 
Jeremy Taylor's Sermon entitled, ' ' The Marriage 
Ring " 125 

LETTER XVII. — Gives Thoughts on Heaven— where 
is Heaven ? What are its enjoyments ? ■. 151 

LETTER XVIII. — Gives some remarks on Temperance 
in Drinks — shows the Prohibitionists how they may 
speedily effect their wish, to have laws enacted 
totally prohibiting the use of spirituous or malt 
liquors 172 



THE RACE FOR WEALTH, 



LETTER I. 



My Beak Brother George : 

Since you departed from 
home "to seek your fortune," I have thought 
seriously about our last conversation, during 
which you declared you would exert your 

utmost skill and strength in The Race 

for Wealth. I believe you would moderate 
your efforts in that Race, if you consider 
what labor and pain you must undergo, what 
mean and base actions you must submit 
to, and commit, should you hurry on eagerly 
to reach that alluring goal — riches. In such a 
Race you must confine yourself, both early and 
late, to your office, store, or workshop, and 
there work hard and anxiously even during 
sickness or sorrow. Should your limbs trem- 
ble, or your head ache, with pain — should you 
be bowed down with grief for the loss of those 



S THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

most dear to you, still 3^011 must attend closely 
to business, lest you might miss the slightest 
chance of adding to your hoards. For the same 
reason, you must forego every social pleasure, 
neither uniting with your friends in home 
amusements, nor joining with them in pleas- 
ant excursions, for then you would both ex- 
pend and cease to heap up money : and think- 
ing of this double loss would so irritate your 
mind, that your expected pleasure would be 
turned into pain. 

Yet to attain the desired riches, bodily labor 
and self-denial might be cheerfully borne ; but 
can any man of spirit or feeling bear the men- 
tal pain caused by the snubs, the scorn, the 
scoffs, which he must encounter during an 
eager Race for Wealth \ Can any honest man 
endure or practice the tricks, the fraud, the 
deceptions too common in that Eace % 

Besides the annoyance or pain caused by 
others, many mental privations must be self- 
imposed during such a Eace. You must then 
deny yourself all literary pleasures ; not a vol- 
ume must you open that might enlighten, ele- 
vate, console, or cheer your mind ; then your 
sole study must be your Day-Book, Journal 
and Ledger. At the same time, you must 
harden your heart against all tender, friendly 
or charitable emotions, not only by refusing to 
give any casual help, but also by meanly turn- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 9 

ing away even from a friend in distress : cast- 
ing away kindness, friendship and pity, you 
must arm yourself with all the cruelty of sel- 
fishness. Oh ! what a noble preparation for 
enjoyment and happiness ! Oh ! what a sure 
method for securing contemrjt hatred, and 
wretchedness ! 

But, dear Brother, in an eager Race for 
Wealth, bodily and mental troubles are not 
the worst you must undergo ; far worse than 
these will be the debasement of your morals. 
To render success speedy, or even probable, in 
such a Race, you must secretly fling away 
honor, honesty and truth, becoming in reality 
little better than a villain, thief, or liar : these 
are harsh words, but they are unfortunately 
justified by the deeds that have been often ex- 
posed among us ; and any one of plain good 
sense should deem it a mockery of truth, to 
soften or conceal the hideous reality by gentle 
or smooth language. During such a Race, a 
crafty man indeed, prizing the cunning maxim 
that "honesty is the best policy," will strive 
to maintain a show of all the virtues ; but 
though he may gain some respect by his out- 
ward seeming, yet should he have any remains 
of conscience, he must despise his inward base- 
ness y he must suffer that most humiliating of 
all feelings — self -contempt ; and when finally 
unmasked, as are almost all of his kind, he 



10 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

fails into universal contempt, for even rogues 
despise a detected rogue. It is plain too that 
in an eager Race for Wealth you both suffer 
and inflict moral evils ; you morally poison not 
only your own mind, but also those of others. 
Grasping greedily at every chance of gain as 
you rush along on your course, selfishness, 
dishonesty and cruelty spring up rankly in 
your breast ; while those whom your avarice 
may have hurt in business, or deprived of the 
means of supporting their families, will natu- 
rally in turn be roused against you, and in- 
flamed with hatred they will long for ven- 
geance : you could not fairly blame such un- 
worthy feelings in others, when they had been 
excited by your own baseness. 

You may think, dear Brother, that your 
good principles and firmness will enable you 
to avoid all such dangers and sufferings ; but 
resolute and good men have often yielded to 
temptation, so, when fearing loss, or when 
excited against rivals in the Race, you also 
may let passion overcome principle, you also 
will enter on a criminal, debasing course. In 
short, in an eager Race for Wealth, you need 
not expect to win the glittering, delusive prize, 
unless you make yourself, in body, mind and 
heart, the bondslave of Mammon, the demon 
of riches : 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 11 

" Mammon the least erected spirit that fell 
From heaven ; for e'en in heaven his looks and thoughts 
"Were always downward bent, admiring more 
The riches of heaven's pavement, trodden gold, 
Than aught, divine or holy, else enjoy 'd 
In vision beatific ...... 

, . - . Soon had his crew 
Opened into the hill a spacious wound, 
And digg'd out ribs of gold. Let none admire 
That riches grow in hell ; that soil may best 
Deserve the precious bane." 

These lines from Paradise Lost prove what a 
low opinion Milton, the great poet and states- 
man, had regarding riches : his acts as well as 
his words prove his opinion on this point — he 
died very poor, thongh he might easily have 
been very rich. 

I have now made, and may often repeat, re- 
marks which are probably already well known 
to yon ; but they may not be known to some 
of your acquaintances, whom yon would per- 
haps benefit, by showing them this and my 
future letters. In any case, to recur to first 
principles, and to recall moral maxims and 
remarks, help us to resist temptations to vice, 
and to guide ourselves aright. Do not then 
mistake mere novelty for wisdom or wit, but 
see if my repetitions do not contain some of 
both, which may help you pleasantly on your 
way through life. I trust you will not think 
I take too much on myself in giving you ad- 



12 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

vice, considering that you are still in your 
teens, while I am some three years older, and 
have the experience acquired by travelling. 

In another letter I shall consider whether the 
possible gains in The Race for Wealth, can be 
worth the sacrifices here indicated ; in the 
meantime, be assured, dear Brother, I shall 
remain, your affectionate sister, 

Marian. 



LETTER II. 



My Dear Sister Marian: 

Though I cannot agree with 
you in all your remarks, yet I have read with 
pleasure the letter in which you have express- 
ed, with the amiable warmth of your sex, 
your objections against my engaging eagerly in 
the Race for Wealth. 

Certainly great sacrifices must be made dur- 
ing that Race ; but you forget in what a state 
we should be without wealth. If it were not 
accumulated, our condition would be scarcely 
better than that of wretched, unfortunate 
savages, who, though working hard in their 
way, yet suffer frequently extreme hunger 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 13 

and thirst, are unprotected against heat or 
cold, and whose feasts even would disgust the 
poorest of our people. When nothing has 
been accumulated, the sole business of life 
is a struggle barely to sustain life ; hence there 
can be no intellectual pleasures — no books, no 
music, no pictures ; or at most only such as 
could please minds darkened by poverty. As 
for kindness, friendship, or charity, there can 
be but very little, when every individual must 
constantly battle for his own daily food ; he 
can then express his good feelings merely by a 
few feeble acts, though probably also by many 
pitying, useless words. In fine, seeing that all 
the conveniences and comforts of life, "that all 
the refinements of civilization, spring from, 
and are diffused by, large accumulations of 
wealth, and that it enables us to indulge our 
most generous feelings towards others, I must 
still persist eagerly in the Race for its acqui- 
sition. 

I find another fault in your letter — in it you 
have not said a word about the dangers and 
troubles women incur or cause in The Race for 
Wealth. Do women then never long for 
wealth, or make any criminal efforts to acquire 
it % To secure wealth, do women never sacri- 
fice feeling, delicacy, or morality \ I heartily 
wish that you could answer decidedly — no, 
never. But unhappily experience compels us 



14 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

to acknowledge, that there have been women 
who have deserted home, children and friends, 
thus casting away feeling and morality, for the 
fleeting splendor that may be bought, and the 
sensnal pleasures that may be gratified by 
wealth. 

I readily grant that women do not engage in 
the Race, so generally and directly as men ; 
but indirectly they too often form the main 
force driving men onward in the Race. Urged 
by her to buy some new-fangled furniture, the 
man invents some new trickery in his business ; 
for new robes or jewelry, he practises new 
knavery ; or for a new equipage he resorts 
anew to dishonesty. And all such base com- 
pliances are glossed over by the false plea of 
love or affection, while their real cause is 
vanity, weakness, or sensuality. If women 
were less inclined to rivalry in mere show and 
glitter, men would be, perhaps, less eager in 
The Race for Wealth, ISTow, while reading 
these remarks, pray do not charge me with 
holding the absurd opinion, that women should 
never be permitted to indulge or display their 
refined and delicate tastes, which contribute so 
largely to the embellishment and enjoyment of 
life : nor do I deem the above remarks to be 
generally applicable, as I know there are mul- 
titudes of bright exceptions, among whom I 
rejoice that I may fairly count you, dear Sister. 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 15 

While excusing yourself so modestly for giv- 
ing me advice, there was no need to plead your 
very venerable age of twenty -two years, nor the 
experience you gained during your very long 
voyage of— one hundred miles ! nor your resi- 
dence in a large city for a ful] half year ; the 
substance of your remarks sufficiently proved 
your ability to give good counsel to an erring 
or mistaken brother ; so pray favor me soon 
with another letter, and believe me ever yours 
affectionately, 

George. 



LETTER III 

Dear Brother : 

Your severe attack on women im- 
pels me, as one of the condemned, at once to 
make some defense ; this happily can be done 
in a few words, since you have fairly grant- 
ed that women seldom and but indirectly en- 
gage in the Race for Wealth. To this I need 
only add, that when they do enter directly and 
actively on that Race, they do so mostly with 
the generous design and hope of being thus 
enabled to help parents or children, brothers or 



16 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

sisters, kindred or even strangers, who may be 
in distress. However I must acknowledge the 
painful fact, that too many of my sex are 
lured, like the moth to the blaze, by the glitter 
of riches to their own destruction. 

As to my fault-finding being one-sided, as 
you insinuate, I now state that my remarks, 
for the most part, are applicable to both sexes; 
and refer not merely to the present, but also to 
what has been done in the past, or may happen 
in the future. 

I must now deny decidedly your assertion, 
that all the comforts and refinements of life 
spring from and are diffused. -by great accumu- 
lations of wealth. The contrary is shown by 
the condition of many countries in Europe and 
Asia, in which the enormous wealth of a few 
men serves but to increase the misery of the 
great body of the people ; these, though toiling 
incessantly, yet suffer the extremes of want 
and wretchedness, and are sunk in moral and 
mental debasement. There accumulations 
formed of small sums, or even of morsels of 
food, filched under forms of law, or torn by 
force, from millions of suffering inmates of 
huts, are squandered without refinement, 
among the gaudy sycophants and gorged para- 
sites of splendid palaces. Is it utterly impos- 
sible that a similar state of things should ever 
be brought about in our country, by vast ac- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 17 

cumulations of iich.es in the hands of individu- 
als % Perhaps, not utterly so — for, with all 
our progress, we are still but human beings : 
and even already, perhaps you would not have 
to search very long, or to go very far, among 
us, to find a hut or two in which you would 
hear the sighs or wailings of cold and hungry 
fellow beings ; but certainly you could not miss 
finding a palace or two resounding with the 
gay songs of selfish prodigals. Will not such 
irritating contrasts increase, the more wealth is 
concentrated % But do not mistake my opin- 
ion about wealth, of which I by no means 
deny the advantages ; on the contrary, I agree 
with you on the utility, the necessity of its be- 
ing accumulated—but only to a certain moder- 
ate amount. Assuredly we can neither im- 
prove ourselves to a high degree, nor help 
others, unless we have more than enough to 
supjjly our simple daily wants ; duty then de- 
mands that we should acquire property of a 
surplus amount ; so, I shall never oppose or 
blame you, or any one else, for engaging mod- 
erately in The Race for Wealth. But I do 
most decidedly blame and despise the present 
anxious, headlong haste to heap up riches at 
any cost of honor, honesty, or morality., This 
craving for riches is all the worse from the fact 
that great wealth is needless either for private 
haj)piness or public benefit ; the greatest hap- 



18 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

piness being found among persons of moderate 
fortunes, and the greatest public works being 
supported and paid for, by the united savings 
of people of moderate means. On this last 
point I offer some further remarks, and begin 
them with a trite quotation : 

' ' 111 fares that land, to social ills a prey, 
"Where wealth accumulates and men decay." 

In these lines the poet refers to the accumu- 
lation of wealth by individuals ; as we may in- 
fer from his subsequent lines, about the in- 
crease of private magnificence in his time. He 
could not, none should, object to the increase 
of national wealth. No nation can be too rich; 
every patriot then should endeavor to flood his 
country with wealth. He should endeavor to 
make it so rich, that not only will it be free 
from debt, not owing a dollar either at home or 
abroad, but that it shall have an overflowing 
treasury — a treasury diffused widely among a 
prosperous people — the best treasury for any 
government consists of a prosperous yet eco- 
nomical people. So that thence the nation 
need not fear even war to repel insolence, or 
avenge injuries — so that thence no citizen need 
tremble, as some do now, for the value of 
his public bonds, if there should be any ; 
nor dread a rise or fall in paper or gold, 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 19 

through that see-saw game of money, so pleas- 
ant to speculators, but so ruinous to merchants 
— and that thence finally the nation could 
safely assume the expense of making travel- 
ling, and carrying, and every means of written 
intercourse, nearly free to all. You will per- 
haps inquire — unless individuals therein be 
rich, how can a nation be so ? It may be so by 
the diffusion of wealth, by its having no Dives 
nor Lazarus among its people. Will you not 
help to produce that beneficent result % 

Having referred, in a previous paragraph, to 
the great neglect of honesty during the Race 
for Wealth, it may be useful to repeat some 
ideas regarding that virtue, for many persons, 
perhaps even you, mistake its full meaning, 
and thence often unaware neglect it in their 
actions. 

Honesty then does not mean merely that we 
should not pick pockets, nor cheat, nor 
swindle, nor embezzle; it has the further mean- 
ing — that workmen and workwomen and em- 
ployers, should each and all give a fair return 
for whatever they may have received — not to 
do so, involves in fact some of the crimes above 
named. To be fully honest there should not 
be any shirking or slurring of work on the 
one part, nor cribbing or withholding of wages 
on the other : both sides should remember the 
saying — " live and let live." It is plainly dis- 



20 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

honest in a merchant or trader to take advan- 
tage of the ignorance of his customers, either 
by selling them adulterated goods, or by repre- 
senting these to be better than they are. Such 
doings are more especially base when practiced 
with food, or drink, or drugs, as the customer 
is thereby not only cheated, but his health, nay 
his very life is endangered. Unhappily all 
such base proceedings are now but too com- 
mon, in the hot eagerness of the Race for 
Wealth. &or does dishonesty only mean do- 
ing wrong in material matters, for it is scarcely 
less dishonest to impute to others, words which 
they never spoke, or actions they never com- 
mitted, in order to injure them, or to advance 
our own interest ; such sly dishonesty is none 
the less base for being combined with hypoc- 
risy or cowardice. Kay, there may be dis- 
honesty even in silence ; silently to allow a per- 
son to give or take anything greatly over or 
under its value, is a degree of dishonesty 
scarcely less than ojjen roguery. In short, he 
acts dishonestly who, by word or deed, breaks 
the divine rule — to do unto others as he would 
wish others to do unto him. I trust, clear 
Brother, no one will ever find the slightest 
cause to charge you with breaking that rule. 

Having noticed the main points of your first 
letter, I may now fulfill my promise of con- 
sidering whether the gains in the Race for 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 21 

Wealth, are worth the sacrifices. Let us then 
weigh the one against the other, and thus see 
on which side the balance rests. On the one 
side, it is certain that you must sacrifice not 
only time, but feeling and conscience — that 
you must risk health, comfort and peace of 
mind ; on the other side, it is barely possible 
that you may gain riches, honor and fame : I 
may fairly say — barely possible, for it is cer- 
tain that the vast majority fail in the Race. 
It cannot well be otherwise, for all who engage 
in that Race must fight against innumerable 
obstacles. Some are checked by incapacity or 
disease ; others are overreached by the knavery 
or ill-will of rivals ; while many are driven 
from the course, ruined by those chances of flood 
or flame that destroy in an hour the hard sav- 
ings of years of toil. Then how wretched and 
mournful is the fate of the unlucky ones ! 
Some take to knavish or desperate courses, 
others sink into despair, careless of their fate- 
while not a few end their life in a mad-house ? 
or by their own hands ! 

But even golden success never comes un- 
mixed with dross. Sickness, discontent, re- 
morse, often oppress the minds of the rich, 
many of whom end their career, if not in a 
mad-house, yet under the guard of keepers : 
a woeful but not unfit reward for their unwise 
sacrifices in the Race for Wealth. Should 



22 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

rapid success enable you to withdraw early 
from the Race, you would still be discontented, 
for that Race inflames the mind with a fe^er 
like that of the gambler or drunkard ; so that 
unable to form new tastes or pursuits, you will 
return to your old courses, again to undergo 
the old toils — again to carry on the old plots 
or schemes, all ending most probably in a 
crushing mental or physical disaster. Now, 
these representations are not merely imaginary; 
you must have read, heard, or personally 
known, of similar cases that have occurred 
among the eager Racers after wealth : yes, 
their end is often ruin — despair — suicide ! 

Having now considered the strong probabili- 
ty of failure in The Race for Wealth, and the 
consequent painful results, let us next consider 
the pleasures, honor, or fame, that may pos- 
sibly attend on success. You may then, if ap- 
petite will allow, gorge yourself with all the 
dainties of the earth — you may clothe yourself 
in rich garments of "purple and -Qhq linen," 
and bedeck yourself with jewels — you may 
dwell in a stately mansion, and dash along in 
a splendid equipage — all these things you may 
enjoy for a time, believing yourself to be an 
object of admiration to ail beholders, but could 
you see into their minds, you would find for 
you only feelings of mingled envy, hatred and 
contempt : but worse still, you would have an 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 23 

uneasy consciousness that such feelings tow- 
ards you would not be wholly undeserved. 
If you could use fourfold, or even double, as 
much more of those luxuries than other per- 
sons, there might be some excuse for craving 
for vast wealth ; but as you cannot safely eat 
or wear more than a man of moderate means, 
nor greatly excel him in the quality of your 
food or clothes, you must either hoard up your 
excess of riches, or waste them in silly extrav- 
agance, or distribute them, as a mere steward, 
among an envious, thankless multitude. Can 
any of these methods be desirable for a man of 
right feeling or good sense % Many no doubt 
delight in mere sensual pleasures, but can any 
sensible or refined person do so, or be proud, 
or boast of them, since the greatest luxuries 
can be, have been, and are bought and dis- 
played by shameless rich knaves and quacks, 
and by notoriously immoral women % Should 
not such facts make you, or any upright man, 
shrink in disgust even from honest hoards of 
gold, and from the luxuries they procured? 
Eemember too that as "Death lays his icy 
hand on kings," you also might be struck 
down by those indulgences — then stretched in 
mortal sickness, how gladly would you 
yield up your wealth for health ! Should you 
turn from sensual to beneficent pleasures, you 
would hardly find more satisfaction in your 



24 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

wealth, for any thoughtf ui person must be con- 
scious that the honor paid to the rich is bnt a 
tribute to their purse, the show of respect often 
concealing secret malice or dislike : these ig- 
noble feelings unhappily debase the minds of 
many persons, but those who excite them must 
share the blame. 

Should you then lay out your wealth in 
founding hospitals, colleges, or asylums, you 
will be pursued by ill-natured remarks, even 
from those whom you help. " Oh !" they will 
say, "he gives us his riches because he will 
have no room for them in his coffin — and it will 
take a long time to remedy the evil he spread 
among us, by the bad examples he gave during 
his greedy Kace for Wealth — besides, no man 
should be allowed to exalt or glorify himself, 
at the expense of the morals and feelings of 
multitudes of his fellow men — corrupting them 
by his avaricious example in the past, and de- 
basing them in the future, by weakening their 
spirit of independence and self-help, with his 
alms of hospitals and asylums — and then too, all 
the good he intended to effect by these build- 
ings, could and should be done by the State, 
without any evil exanrple or result." 

Such will be the secret or private thanks of 
those fed or sheltered by your present or pos- 
thumous charity. Do not infer from these re- 
marks, dear Brother, that I object to any exer- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 25 

cise of charity ; though I do feel there is much 
difference in the manner of expressing* that 
virtue. There is the charity of duty, and the 
charity of impulse, and I confess I have a timid 
admiration for the latter— I cannot help admir- 
ing the impulsive charity of "The Good 
Samaritan." Impulse does not, like duty, stop 
to calculate and balance the possible result of 
its acts, but moved by a divine compassion, at 
the sight of distress it at once stretches forth 
a helping hand, or sooths with consoling words. 
No doubt the charity of duty is the more rea- 
sonable and respectable ; it doles out help by 
rule and compass — it makes strict inquiries, 
and is careful, for the interest of social econo- 
my, not to give away a mouthful, if it might 
have been procured otherwise, nor one more 
than may be needed to escape the gnawing grip 
of death. Duty builds hospitals and asylums, 
which certainly are useful, but also somewhat 
selfish and injurious — selfish, inasmuch as they 
are founded in order to avoid daily painful 
sights or sounds, or in the hope of reward here 
or hereafter — injurious, inasmuch as experi- 
ence proves that wherever a charitable institu- 
tion has been placed, to that spot have thronged 
the lazy and vicious, and there have become 
permanent pauper residents, who insist that 
" the world owes them a living ; " and regard 
their benefactors, or malefactors, call them 



26 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

which, yon will, much in the same way as cer- 
tain heathen religionists in India, who receive 
charity with prond condescension, believing 
that by accepting it they help the donors to re- 
pose in the blessed bosom of Bramah. Wonld 
Christian panpers be altogether wrong, if they 
held similar opinions regarding the acts of 
those doling ont help for duty's sake. No 
doubt, many cheats impose on the impulsive, 
who thence may often doubt whether they 
should give or not; in such cases, dear Brother, 
generally keep the benefit of the doubt for 
yourself, do not give it to your purse — this may 
be made lighter thereby, but so will your 
heart be. 

Numerous hospitals and asylums may be 
proofs of the charity of a people, but they are also 
proofs of widespread misery : just as numerous 
jails and penitentiaries prove that protecting 
laws are enforced, but they no less prove the 
existence of widespread immorality and crime. 
The multitude of hospitals or prisons should 
not be a matter of boast for any nation, for 
certainly where the fewer of such are needed, 
there the higher the civilization, and the wider 
the diffusion of comfort. 

But now returning to the main subject, if in 
addition to present honor, you should ho|)e to 
secure further fame by the possession of great- 
wealth, first ask yourself — has a statue or cob 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 27 

umn ever been erected to any man, merely on 
acconnt of Ms great riches % Fact will force 
you to answer — no, not one ! 

On the other hand, what a multitude of me- 
morials — statues, pillars, pictures, have been 
dedicated to great writers — poets, philosophers, 
historians ; to great artists — painters, musi- 
cians, architects ; and to philanthropists, who, 
forgetful of self, have labored for the welfare 
of mankind. Of all those bright, learned and 
good men, a large majority have lived and 
died, if not in actual want, yet in comparative 
poverty. Still, dear Brother, do you not think 
such men to be nobler, and more worthy of 
imitation than Dives % Some rich men indeed, 
who had bequeathed their hoards for public pur- 
poses, have been commemorated by busts or 
statues ; but these mostly have been paid for 
by the miser' s own money, and are regarded 
with sneers, or some belittling remarks, such as 
those previously supposed. M)w, is that 
honorable fame % Is it not rather infamy % To 
a right thinking person, can it make amends 
for the pains and disgraces* incurred during an 
eager Race for Wealth. 

Remember also, dear Brother, that it is vain 
to hope to bribe men into respect by gifts or 
donations — and vainer still to hope to bribe 
heaven by building churches, or by endowing 
hospitals or colleges : just as if a wretch who 



28 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

had spread a deadly plague througli a whole 
community, should hope to make amends by 
distributing a few pills and plasters among his 
victims ! 

Yet, dear Brother, the love of fame is a 
worthy passion — by it many men have been 
roused to noble and generous deeds ; you may 
then properly cherish it in yourself, and en- 
courage or applaud it in others. But remem- 
ber that there is a higher feeling, which impels 
men toxlo good for good's sake — which lets not 
one hand know what the other hand doth — in- 
spired by that divine feeling, he — 

" Who builds a church to God and not to fame, 
"Will never mark the marble with his name." 

After all, dear Brother, neither riches, nor 
genius, nor bright intellects are absolutely 
necessary to secure pure honor and fame. 
From your reading and experience you must 
be aware, that a grateful fame hallows in the 
memory of men the names of persons who were 
plain in mind and poor in fortune ; but rich in - 
goodness, rich in forgetfulness of self, rich in 
their labors for the material and moral im- 
provement of their fellow-men. Assuredly you 
must feel that a Race for such Wealth is truly 
noble and worthy ; engage in it then speedily, 
and persist in it to the end — for though you 
may not be the first, you may firmly trust that 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 29 

even the last in such a Race will not go unre- 
warded. 

Having shown that in an eager Race for 
Wealth, you must sacrifice time and health — 
kindness and friendship, and that after all, 
you will most probably gain neither riches, 
honor, nor fame ; but that sinking under fail- 
ure, you will pass through life in contempt and 
end it in despair, having placed these results 
before you — not without good effects I trust — 
in another letter I shall consider some few of 
the causes of the present debasing greed for 
riches. But previously, I should like to re- 
ceive a letter from you, in which you will 
candidly state your opinion on the foregoing 
remarks ; with that hope I rest your loving 
sister 

Maeian". 



30 THE BACE FOB WEALTH 



LETTER IY. 



My Beak Sister : 

The representations in your last 
letter have somewhat shaken my resolution to 
push on eagerly in the Race for Wealth. But 
forbear yet from rejoicing, as I have still 
strong objections to some of your views. 

In the first place, all the labors, pains and 
sufferings, whether of body or mind, that must 
be encountered in an eager Race for Wealth — 
all these must also fall to the lot of him who 
labors only for a moderate competence. 

I must object to certain other remarks of 
yours, because they are far from being fair. 
You belittle and decry the donations which 
are given, or bequeathed, by the rich for the 
founding of public institutions. While heap- 
ing up their wealth, some of the rich may in- 
deed have set bad examples ; still their endea- 
vors to make amends are worthy of praise : 
you surely would not blot repentance out of 
the short catalogue of human merits ! Though 
the avaricious man' s doings may corrupt pub- 
lic morals, yet he has no little merit in sup- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER . 31 

plying an antidote for the poison. And re- 
member that the rich might devote their 
wealth to unworthy purposes ; their not do- 
ing so, is some proof, that their past or 
present conrse neither was nor is utterly self- 
ish, but that it was in a great degree influenced 
by a laudable ambition. Besides, you must 
know many men who have grown wealthy by 
honest industry, or by the honorable exercise 
of superior talents Justice then demands 
from you some retraction on this point. 

I trust the warmth of your feelings against 
vast private wealth, will not mislead you so 
far as to induce you to adopt the absurd doc- 
trine of — equality of property. The advocates 
of that doctrine should begin at the beginning 
— they should lay their foundation on the bed- 
rock — they should prove the origin of species 
by producing a new kind of men — men who 
should be all equal to one another in body and 
mind — equal in strength and talents — equal in 
industry and economy — unless these results be 
first secured, it were vain to attempt to enforce 
equality of property. Should that be brought 
about among mankind, such as they have al- 
ways existed, a week would not have passed 
before the dull would have succumbed to the 
bright-minded — the ignorant have yielded to 
the skilful — the lazy to the industrious — and 
the wasteful to the saving man ; thus would be 



32 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

quickly restored the natural, nnd I must say 
the beneficent, inequality of property. In 
fact, the attempt to establish equality in this 
point is to fight against nature itself ; such 
battles, after causing much misery and vio- 
lence, always ending in the triumph of nature. 
Reasoning then from our inequality in body 
and mind, we may justly assert that — inequal- 
ity of property is equality of justice. 

I may further observe that as material, moral 
and intellectual interests are involved in the 
question of equality of property, it cannot be 
fairly decided, unless we consider how indi- 
viduals and society will be affected in all those 
interests under the new condition of things. 
!N~o doubt when material interest is the main 
object, equality of property yields great ad- 
vantages ; as we know from the material con- 
dition of the Shakers, and of other societies 
governed by similar rules. No individual 
among them need ever have any fear of suf- 
fering from hunger, thirst, or nakedness: so 
far, they must be happy. But at the same 
time they have deprived themselves of the en- 
joyment of the moral, scriptural pleasures of 
— feeding the hungry — giving drink to the 
thirsty — or clothing the naked. By their 
course of life those people show that they 
fully approve of these verses of the poet : 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 33 

" What riches give us let us then inquire, 
Meat, fire and clothes — what more ? meat, clothes and tire." 

But fortunately this mere animal system of 
equal property does not satisfy or charm many 
citizens. Few are willing to remain mere chil- 
dren all their life. Men wish to be manly, they 
individually wish to exercise their minds fully 
for their ^wn and their country' s welfare — 
hence they wisely reject the unnatural, debas- 
ing system of equality of property. 

As from the very diversified tempers of men, 
some would speedily after a division possess 
more than others, must other divisions or sub- 
division be then made ? and if so, how soon and 
how often ?' Should they be enforced once a 
year, or once a month ? for even in that short 
time, inequality of property would occur. 
What a comfortable condition of things we 
should then have ! What encouragement for 
industry and. economy ! Or rather what gen- 
eral misery and woe would prevail ! What 
savage, brute-like, wilful waste ! 

Then again, what should be the private sum 
or value that any one might possess \ Would 
a man be allowed to keep ten dollars for him- 
self, when his neighbor had but five? This 
question is not so needless or absurd as it may 
seem, for we know that there are men who 
insist that a fellow-workman shall not receive 



34 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

higher or more wages than others, though he 
could earn them by his superior skill or talent 
— he must not be allowed to profit by the su- 
perior endowments of mind or body, with 
which his Creator has blessed him — none must 
rise above, but all must sink to, a line running 
level with the lowest ignorance, stupidity or 
laziness — all must grovel on the same dull lev- 
el — none shall rise above the slimy condition of 
his most worthless fellows. And this demand 
has been made forsooth in the names of bro- 
therhood and of justice ! O Justice, what sel- 
-fish, cruel, unjust deeds are done in thy name ! 
Thus many a man, aye and woman too, among 
rich and poor alike, while weighing his or her 
own actions hi his or her own scales, will im- 
pudently call them those of Justice ! And how 
would this equal division of property dispose 
of the deposits in savings banks ? Must hun- 
dreds of thousands of hard-working people be 
plundered of their moderate deposits, the sav- 
ings of years of toil ? Oh ! certainly — for these 
depositors are capitalists — they must surrender 
their savings to be squandered by the lazy and 
wasteful, and thus carry out this blessed law 
of — eqaality of property. Besides these peo- 
ple are guilty of receiving interest, which, you 
know, is declared to be a crime against human- 
ity I Nor must any man who would build a 
house with his savings receive any rent for the 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 35 

rooms ; for that would only be a sly, round- 
about way of getting interest. In short, by 
this equal division of property we could prove 
that charming paradox — that everybody 
should have everything, yet nobody have any- 
thing. 

But to be more precise, let us consider what 
would be the results in a single case of an equal 
division of property. Real estate is probably 
much more valuable in the city of New York 
than in any other part of this continent ; and 
that city's personal property — money, bonds, 
furniture, etc., etc., is of greater amount and 
value than that of any other city in the Union; 
both properties there were valued, last year, at 
something more than one thousand millions of 
dollars ; and the greater part of this amount 
would lose half its value by change of hands, 
or of use, or by not being divisible, but the full 
sum would yield say one thousand dollars of 
value to each individual of the population — 
one million. Now, how long would each share 
last the shareholder, or remain in his posses- 
sion ? Possibly one month ; for even in that 
short time, many would be again poor and 
some rich, a result not of any knavery or trick- 
ery, but of the natural difference in the char- 
acter and dispositions of men. In many of our 
cities the proportion of population to property 
is much greater ; so that in a division, the 



36 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

share of each would be very mncli less ; prob- 
ably in some places each share might be ten, or 
maybe twenty dollars : what a magnificent re- 
sult for revolutionary plunder and robbery ! 
Yet there are men who long for such a divi- 
sion, who hold meetings to advocate it, and who 
claim to be philanthropists ! Assuredly they 
prove by their principles and speeches, that all 
the idiots and madmen of the country are not 
shut up in asylums, and thence they excite the 
pitiless fear caused by madmen. 

Hoping that you agree with me in these 
views regarding the equal distribution of prop- 
erty, I rest, Yours sincerely, 

George. 



LETTER Y. 



My Dear Brother : 

You say that the moderate as 
well as the avaricious, undergo all the pains 
and penalties attending the eager pursuit of 
wealth. Now, your word all includes too 
much. The moderate do not give all their 
time and thoughts — they do not sacrifice all 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 37 

their feelings and their conscience to grasp 
at gain. They employ much of the two former 
for their own improvement and their neigh- 
bors' benefit ; and they so control the two latter, 
that they secure their own peace of mind, and 
the approval of others; the moderate thns avoid 
envy or hatred, and attain comparative happi- 
ness. As to your other objection, I acknowl- 
edge that my remarks on the gifts or bequests 
of the rich, are perhaps too severe ; I would re- 
gret that any words of mine, should prevent a 
single poisoner of morals from supplying an 
antidote ; it would certainly be unjust to insist 
that the rich by their donations make no 
amends whatever for former misdeeds. As for 
those who, while amassing vast riches, have 
maintained unswerving honesty, I sincerely 
wish they were more numerous ; I grant there 
are such men, but alas ! they .are few and far 
between. But while blaming me, you yourself 
have done some injustice to rich donors, by 
supposing that they would or might have de- 
voted their wealth to unworthy purposes ; such 
a supposition implies that they are not men, 
but demons, whereas they are still men, though 
mistaken regarding the true way to lasting 
happiness. You rightly suppose that I would 
approve of your remarks about equality in 
property ; from my letters you can judge that 
my opinions on that subject agree nearly with 
your own. 



38 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

Having thus noticed your main objections to 
my late remarks, I shall now indicate some of 
the causes that urge men forward in the heated 
Race for Wealth. But to prevent you or others 
from again mistaking my opinion, I must first 
say — that the desire for property is natural and 
useful, and therefore it cannot, nor should it, 
if possible, be totally suppressed ; still, like 
other natural desires or passions, it should be 
kept within such bounds as will render it most 
beneficial to individuals and to society. I trust 
that you, dear Brother, will assume your due 
share of this double duty. 

The craving for great riches is often aroused 
and always influenced by dazzling examples of 
success. Men of special talents and of worldly 
wisdom are seen exerting every power of their 
mind and body, and sacrificing every good feel- 
ing, to acquire vast amounts of property. 
When successful, some bury their treasures in 
bank or safety vaults, there to rest as useless 
as when undug from the mines ; while others 
make a vulgar, gaudy, irritating display of 
their riches. Dazzled by the glaring sjiow, 
many attempt to amass the means for kindling 
a similar blaze of vanity ; but after committing 
frauds upon frauds, the vast majority end their 
career by sinking helpless, hopeless amid the 
ruins of their property and peace : excited by 
the bustling display made by the winner of a 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 39 

single great prize, they forget the millions who 
have irrecoverably fallen in the eager Race for 
Wealth. A vain, unprincipled man, if success- 
ful in the Race, may be doubly injurious — by 
his success and by his ostentation, by the for- 
mer, raising hopes of similar fortune, he incites 
multitudes of all classes to attempt to accom- 
plish those hopes at any cost ; by the latter, he 
induces persons of moderate means to adopt an 
extravagant style of living, thus reducing them 
to practice mean shifts and dishonesty : for the 
extravagant are as greedy of gain as misers — 
both being alike foolish, the one by his brain- 
less waste, the other by his starving thrift. 

This rivalry in hollow show is a widely pre- 
vailing cause of greed for wealth, and thence 
of low morality. From a silly ambition to 
outshine their fellows, the cashier will imitato 
the banker's style of living, the salesman 
copies the merchant, and the porter apes the 
clerk ; thus from the highest to the lowest, or 
rather from the richest to the poorest, a paltry 
ambition leads to dishonest extravagance, end- 
ing in moral and social ruin. Observe, dear 
Brother, that I do not blame j>ersons in lower 
positions for partaking of pleasures, or for 
their rivalry in show, merely on account of 
their positions ; for such persons may be, and 
often are, superior in mind and body to those 
above them ; but the bounds set by inequality 



40 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

of wealth, no sensible man or woman will ever 
attempt to overstep. The struggles of persons 
of moderate means to emulate the rich, almost 
invariably end in ridicule or disaster ; remind- 
ing us of the fable about the daw and the pea- 
cock — or of that about the conceited frog, 
which, while trying to puff itself up to the 
size of an ox, ended its ambitious course by a 
truly magnificent burst. 

Now, do not cry out that while blaming the 
above named classes, I have forgotten the de- 
linquents of my own sex, for I am painfully 
sensible of the absurd conduct of thoughtless 
females of all classes who try to make them- 
selves appear richer or better than they are, 
by means of outward show ; as if silk or jewels 
could conceal rudeness, ignorance, or vice, 
from sensible observers ! 

This desire for vain display leads to pilfer- 
ing by the needy, to which they are often 
tempted also by the carelessness of employers, 
who forgetful of the divine entreaty — "lead 
us not into temptation," leave their assistants 
without control or supervision, who thence 
fall helpless under many strong temptations ; 
and thus probably many a worthy youth, the 
least blamable for his fall, is driven an outcast 
from society. 

Another cause of the existing eagerness and 
dishonesty in the Race for Wealth is found, 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 41 

I regret to say, in our literature. You can 
scarcely open a book, magazine, or newspaper, 
without finding therein some attractive repre- 
sentation of mere wealth. In many a tale, 
story, or anecdote, riches are represented to 
be the grand effector of all good, and are glori- 
fied as the reward for virtue. Such represen- 
tations not only attract undue admiration for 
riches, but the language often used, cannot 
fail to weaken the disgrace that should fall on 
those guilty of crimes during the Race. By 
perversion of language, even apj)lause is often 
won for the sharp, tricky wits, and for the bad 
morals of greedy rogues. Knavery of all sorts 
is glossed over, and the perpetrators embold- 
ened, by smooth or jocular epithets. A thief 
is only a professor of sleight of hand; the 
swindler only a confidence man ; the adulter- 
ator of our food or drink is forsooth only — an 
amateur chemist ; the gambling blackleg is 
only a sportsman ; and the base embezzler, or 
the treacherous betrayer of trust, is only a 
speculator or operator. This lighfc, jocular 
way of treating crimes, promotes a low tone 
of morality ; making the thoughtless reader 
laugh, he will infer that after all, robbery or 
knavery is not so bad a thing as folks pre- 
tend ; thence he seizes the first chance he can 
find to join in the tricky race for pelf, and 
thus forward, the rascally fun. It will be an 



42 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

evil time for us and our country, should theft 
or knavery be ever regarded merely with ridi- 
cule or laughter ; these correctives may re- 
press slight vices, but they greatly encourage 
crime and harden criminals. 

The sentimental pity also expressed for crim- 
inals when detected, encourages many to per- 
sist in dishonesty during their Race for 
Wealth. Being more affected b\ the seen than 
the unseen, we are moved to pity at the sight 
of the deserved suffering of a convicted crimi- 
nal, forgetting the undeserved sufferings of his 
absent victims. If in the daily reports of pro- 
ceedings in legal courts, the beauty or elegance, 
the sorrow and tears, or the bravado of crimi- 
nals of either sex, were pictured to the reader 
less afiectingiy or applausively, than the suf- 
ferings of the victims, there would be so much 
the less encouragement for lawless acts in the 
Race for Wealth. All must acknowledge, 
however, that many publications expose and 
strongly condemn the base trickery and dis- 
honesty now so prevalent in the eager Race 
for Wealth ; and that many writers have 
been efficient instruments in detecting pow- 
erful criminals and enforcing their punish- 
ment. Happy should be the country in which 
such publications and writers can freely do 
their beneficent work ! Every good citizen 
should deem it to be his duty and a privilege 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 43 

to share in that work, by circulating snch pub- 
lications widely : I trust, dear Brother, your 
share in that work will be a large one. The 
undue estimation of riches, and the eagerness 
in the pursuit, are further excited by the fact 
that they form the readiest, perhaps the only 
means among us of acquiring and retaining 
high and general distinction. A Gaul, a Brit- 
on, or a Teuton, will sometimes forego oppor- 
tunities of gaining wealth, for the sake of 
securing the right to wear a bit of bright ribbon 
on his breast, or to place an honorable prefix 
to his name. These distinctions may be child- 
ish,- but men in general are not philosophers ; 
and that the desire for some distinctive mark 
of honor is natural, may be inferred from the 
frequent assumption, even among us, of mili- 
tary and judiciary titles ; and also from the 
delight taken in military and other gaudy 
adornments. However absurd or ridiculous, or 
even dangerous to liberty, such distinctions 
might be among us, foreign peoples are not to 
be despised for desiring them, since the hope 
of obtaining them excites to noble deeds ; and 
assuredly we cannot blame men for wishing to 
win the applause of fellow-men, by other 
merits than the possession of vast riches. 

Since we have in general too much good sense 
to be influenced by gaudy trappings, or by a 
high-sounding handle to a name, we should at 



44 



THE RACE FOR WEALTH 



least accord to literary, or scientific, or philan- 
thropic merit the highest respect, and encour- 
age it with applause, thus in some degree coun- 
teracting the excessive desire of amassing 
enormous wealth. As it is, literary or scien- 
tific eminence is far from being held in as high 
or wide esteem as great riches ; thence the most 
generally convincing criticism in favor of a 
book, an improvement or discovery, will be 
found in the statement of the thousands of dol- 
lars it produced for its author. 

In my next I shall offer you another view of 
the evils caused by selfish eagerness in the 
Race for Wealth ; in the meantime, I remain 
as ever, Yours affectionately, 

Marian. 



LETTER VI. 



My Dear Sister 



Having acknowledged that you 
were too severe in your strictures on rich bene- 
factorSj I must grant in turn, that I assumed 
too much by asserting that the moderate man, 
while working for his living, must make as 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 45 

many and as great sacrifices, as the avaricious 
make in the Race for "Wealth. Your remarks 
joined with my own observations, clearly prove 
that such is not the case. 

I must also confess that smooth language, 
and the sight of the gaudy displays made by 
the ostentatious, have influenced my opinions 
and conduct ; but I have resolved henceforth 
to look beneath the surface of things, to* ex- 
amine matters more fully, so as not to allow 
my mind to be misled either by plausible 
words, or by vainglorious pomp. 

I must now beg your attention for an espe- 
cial point concerning property, which I anxi- 
ously desire that you would make clear, and 
that point is — how far may a moderate man 
advance in the Race for Wealth. ? within what 
limits should he confine the amount of his 
property ? You must allow that owing to the 
great diversity of tastes, feelings and desires 
among mankind, my question is a very diffi- 
cult one to settle in a satisfactory manner. 
However, though you may not be able to give 
a decided answer, by fixing precise limits for 
the acquisition of property, you can at least 
give some rule, which may help us to decide 
how far we may proceed in the Race without 
injury to ourselves, to others, or to our coun- 
try. 

Hoping that you will indicate some such rule 



46 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

in your next letter, I conclude with assuring 
you of my continued affection. 

GrEOEGE. 



LETTER VXI. 



Dear Beothee : 

Your special question is so im- 
23ortant, that I shall at once attempt an 
answer ; which, though not decisive, will 
help you, I trust, to define proper limits 
for your acquisition of wealth. You ask — 
how far may a moderate man advance in the 
Race for Wealth 1 within what bounds should 
he restrict the amount of his property? I 
answer — acquire property to such an amount 
as will enable you, to maintain yourself now 
and in old age, with reasonable comfort, and 
also to help others in need. That amount may 
be estimated and measured, if not closely yet 
fairly, by the circumstances and enjoyments 
of the great majority of your fellow-citizens, 
and esj)ecially by those of your near neigh- 
bors. If you see that a vast majority even of 
your thriving fellow- citizens, dwell and are 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 47 

content in five-thousand- dollar houses, do not 
wish or attempt to build for yourself a five- 
hundred- thousand- dollar palace, nor endeavor 
to acquire the means for doing so ; if they are 
glad to have a horse or two, for work or plea- 
sure, kept in a plain stable, do not wish to 
indulge yourself with a score of pampered 
steeds, lodged in mansions richer than the 
homes of your worthy neighbors. You know 
that such things as these have been done in 
our country; yet we call it a democratic re- 
public ! Should you find that you were likely 
to largely surpass your neighbors in wealth, 
then you should slacken in, or altogether cease 
from, your efforts to add to your property ; 
and thus leaving room for others, increase 
their chance of reaching more easily and 
speedily the goal of comfort. In short, draw 
the boundary line of your wealth at a just 
medium between riches and poverty. But 
however small may be your possessions, ad- 
here firmly to this rule — never to increase your 
income by meanness, trickery, or dishonesty : 
then, though your position and fortune may be 
humble, you can fairly esteem yourself — then, 
you can freely, boldly look the whole world 
in the face. 

Still, dear Brother, I would say that the amount 
of wealth, which any individual might be justi- 
fied in accumulating, should not be restricted 



48 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

within very narrow limits ; so as not wholly 
to repress or discourage ambitions or enterpriz- 
ing mea, who rouse and sustain the industry 
of nations, and thus contribute largely to their 
material prosperity. While strictly prohibit- 
ing every individual from amassing, as some do 
now, tens of millions, one ten might perhaps 
be allowed ; a single ten millions of property 
would afford ample range for as much daring 
enterprize, worthy ambition, or liberal philan- 
throphy, as would be consistent with the moral 
welfare of individuals and society ; this last, 
in such a case, would be further protected by 
time and death — these soon breaking up even 
that large capital into moderate shares. 

Passing over at present a fuller considera- 
tion of your question, I shall now submit an- 
other view of the results of the eager Race for 
Wealth. For so far, we have considered that 
Race only as it affects private individuals ; but 
we should also consider its influence on public 
men and on our institutions. In these respects, 
how disastrous, how deplorable are the results 
of that Race ! " The accursed greed for gold " 
has spread far and wide — has affected alike the 
high and the lowly. Electors and the elected 
— lawmakers and its dispensers — the legislator 
and the judge — in turn bribe or are bribed ! 
This craving for riches is most base when it in- 
fects persons in high places, as they are not 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 49 

misled by Ignorance nor overcome by want — 
and through them it is most baneful and In- 
jurious, as their example demoralizes multi- 
tudes of their humbler fellow- citizens. 

From the many mean, base and treacherous 
actions occurring among us through greed of 
gain, might not a faithful citizen almost dis- 
pair of the lasting welfare of his country, and 
grieve for the examples it offers to the world % 

But happily this spirit of avarice, though 
widespread, is far from being universal. We still 
have many citizens among us, who do not be- 
lieve that the interests of their country and of 
mankind should be sacrificed for private profit 
— or that heaping up riches is the most sacred 
of our duties — or that sensuality affords the 
highest and purest of enjoyments. Those 
true and faithful men, encouraged by the pru- 
dent and patriotic of my sex, will resolutely 
oppose the enticing though foul flood of ava- 
rice now poisoning our morals ; and though 
they may not wholly overcome it, yet they 
may confine it to channels so narrow, that in- 
stead of being a beguiling lure, it may become 
an impressive warning. Will not you, dear 
Brother, take an active part in this noble con- 
test % You may perhaps think, that the efforts 
of one man could not avail much to stop this 
corrupting flood of avarice ; but remember that 
the fate of nations has sometimes been decided 



50 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

through the words and acts of a zealous indi- 
vidual ; in any case, it is your duty to do 
something, whether less or more, in support of 
the good cause of restraining the spirit of ava- 
rice, leaving the result to Providence. 

You will perhaps also say that such matters of 
general government concern very few, and least 
of all my sex. To think so were a great mis- 
take, for much of the happiness of all, of the 
humblest as the highest, depends on the care 
and honesty of the men who direct either the 
local or the general government : the citizen then 
who helps to place careless or dishonest men 
in authority, shares the blame and disgrace of 
their misdeeds. I trust, dear Brother, that 
whenever you shall exercise the noble privilege 
of voting who shall be the men to make or ex- 
ecute the laws that shall govern you, you will 
prove yourself worthy of this privilege of the free 
by supporting only those who are capable and 
honest. This duty you owe not only to your- 
self but also to your country ; for the glory, 
strength and influence of a nation, rest on its 
superior intelligence, justice and morality, all 
which will most plainly appear through its 
government, rather than on riches or material 
force ; and only by the former qualities can we 
secure the lasting love or respect of other na- 
tions : let us not then give foreigners any just 
grounds for saying — that equally with crush- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 51 

ing tyranny, a high standard of liberty pro- 
motes a low tone of morality — that power when 
widely diffused, equally as when closely con- 
centrated, is injurious to morals and liberty. 

The suppression of dishonesty in the Race 
for Wealth, is made more difficult by the fact 
that corruption in politics, or in high places, 
is nowadays too readily overlooked or par- 
doned ; whereas this being more deceptive and 
far-reaching than private dishonesty, it should 
therefore receive the severest and most pro- 
longed condemnation. As one method of 
open resistance against the political corruption 
fostered by the Race for Wealth, do you, let 
every honest man, repulse with scorn a bribing 
or mercenary citizen, however high may be his 
station, or however vast his riches — reject his 
hand — admit him not to your home — drive 
him from the company of honest men — confine 
him to the company of fellow-knaves, as lepers 
are shut up with fellow-lepers in a lazar-house. 
If the corrupter or the bribed show any re- 
pentance, by plainness of living, or by a good 
use of his riches, he may receive pardon, but 
never approval. The sheriff, or a minister, 
through charity, may shake hands with a 
murderer ere he steps on the gallows ; but it 
were a wrong against the morals of mankind, 
to give the slightest mark of approbation to 
the selfish corrupter of his fellow-citizens — or 



52 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

to the avaricious betrayer of the welfare of 
his country. 

Finally, dear Brother, remember that the 
one-purse power is equally injurious toman's 
moral character, as the one-man power is to 
his political welfare; either power making 
him a slave, debases him with all the vices 
inherent in that condition. I trust that you 
will actively oppose both — that you will never 
suffer either the purse 01 the sword to usurp 
the place of just laws. 

In my next letter, I shall submit to you 
some suggestions about obstructing or check- 
ing the present debasing eagerness in the Race 
for wealth ; in the meantime, accept renewed 
assurances of my affection, 

MaEIAjS". 



LETTER VIII. 



Deae Beothee : 

Though you have not favored me 
with any remarks on my last preceding letter, 
yet I shall now indicate some obstructions 
which, if they cannot suppress, may at least 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 53 

moderate the greed of men engaged in an 
eager Race for Wealth. 

For the sake of the public welfare. States 
justly restrict the indulgence — of the desire 
for stimulants — of the sexual desire — of the 
desire to gamble. All these, though still too 
widely prevalent, are considerably restrained 
by laws imposing fines and imprisonment on 
delinquents in any of these points. Why 
then should not States restrict, within bene- 
ficial limits, the desire to accumulate proper- 
ty % As this desire when greatly indulged in, 
is injurious to liberty, and thence to the 
morals of society, it should be opposed by 
more stringent laws than any v yet enacted 
against it. For that purpose, there should be 
enacted — a limit law, which would fix the 
precise amount «a,bove which property should 
not be accumulated or combined: some- 
what wider limits being allowed to corpor- 
ations than to individuals. For my part, I 
should much rather see ten men separately 
carrying on business with, say, one hundred 
thousand dollars each, than one man doing so 
with a million. Political economists may 
assert that concentration of capital would 
lessen, while its division would increase, the 
price of productions. Be it so ; I should 
gladly pay some cents more for each share of 
my sugar and coffee, or of my cottons and 



54 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

ribbons, in the firm assurance that ten inde- 
pendent families would contribute more than 
any millionaire, to abate envy or discontent, 
and to elevate the moral tone of the people. 
A 'limit law should declare, that all property 
above the fixed amount must be confiscated 
for the benefit of the State. Knowing from 
such a law, at what limit they must stop, and 
that any excess would not rest under their 
control, nor bring them any honor, the most 
avaricious men would stop short of the limit, 
and slacken their eagerness and haste in the 
Race for Wealth. This method of obstructing 
vast accumulations of private wealth, being 
precise and impartial, would perhaps prove 
more effective than that, already proposed, of 
increasing the taxes manifold on all property 
in proportion as it increased -above a certain 
amount. The former method would at least 
give more general satisfaction, for to be de- 
spoiled of that which we have actually gained, 
is more bitter than to be prevented from gain- 
ing ; since in the one case, we are plundered 
of the results of our labors, in the other, we 
are but prevented from laboring : it hurts our 
feelings more to be deprived of a possession, 
than never to have possessed — the one we re- 
gard as a robbery, the other as a possible bene- 
fit. However it may be, assuredly some fur- 
ther legal methods must soon be adopted, to 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 55 

prevent the excessive accumulation of private 
property, if we wish to abate popular discon- 
tent — to ward off revolution — to preserve the 
liberty, and to elevate the morals of our coun- 
try. 

But leaving the further consideration of legal 
methods to law -makers and statesmen, I shall 
now proceed to submit to you some moral ob- 
structions that may be advanced against an 
eager Race for Wealth. 

If the remarks offered in these letters, or 
similar ones, were frequently, but more forc- 
ibly brought by others under the consideration 
of hearers and readers, they would help much 
to weaken or limit the spirit of avarice. The 
consideration of the bodily labors — of the men- 
tal pains — of the moral debasement — of the 
great probability of failure in the Race — would 
deter all but the most rash and thoughtless 
from wishing or attempting to heap up vast 
piles of riches. Even the most selfish and un- 
scrupulous would hesitate to enter eagerly on 
the Race, on considering that by the time they 
should have won success, they would have lost 
the power of enjoyment ; and that all their la- 
bors and base schemes would have gained them 
no real friends, but that secretly or openly 
envied and hated, they must leave all their 
riches to be scrambled for, by rejoicing heirs, 
after being dropped unmourned into unhonored 



56 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

graves — for sincere, unselfish, tears are shed 
only over the graves of the poor. 

Regarding the quarreling and scrambling of 
heirs for the property of deceased relatives, 
such scenes, now frequent in the Hace for 
Wealth, might well fill every aged or infirm 
person with dread ; and every right-minded 
person with disgust, at these displays of un- 
feeling selfishness. Circumstances of this kind 
which have lately occurred, are especially 
worth notice, on account of the persons and 
the amount involved. A very aged man who 
had accumulated his tens of millions, many of 
them gained by sharp fillibustering against 
equally greedy rivals, was at last forced to leave 
his loved millions behind him ; but wishing 
and hoping still to direct their use and man- 
agement even from his tomb, he therefore made 
a will. By that document he left about nine- 
tenths of his hoard to his favorite son, and to 
others of his children sums that some few per- 
sons at least, if not thousands, would probably 
deem very considerable. Not so, some of the 
lesser legatees — a son and daughters — and so an 
appeal was made to the law, against the am- 
bition, partiality, or whatever else may have 
been the feeling of the defunct. The sturdy, 
skilful old grasper little thought when he was 
dying, that his children would cast a slur upon 
his memory in charging him with injustice, 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER, 57 

which they do in effect, by nullifying his will, 
either through law-snits, or by granting larger 
shares to discontented legatees. Yet the dis- 
satisfied heirs are in some degree justifiable, 
especially the daughters ; for how could ladies 
of their high pretensions and merit be fairly 
expected to live comfortably, on the pittance 
for each of thirty or forty thousand dollars a 
year % The idea is preposterous and not to be 
tolerated ! 

Such unseemly scrambling however may be 
pardoned, if not encouraged, as being a deter- 
rent against an eager Race for Wealth. When 
men see that their cherished riches may be 
squandered in lawsuits, and that their justice, 
honesty, or even their sanity, may be denied, 
they will be less desirous of heaping up enor- 
mous wealth, which may be made an instru- 
ment for casting shame on their memory. 
Now, dear brother, on reading these remarks, 
which your own observations must confirm, 
pray ask yourself — Should I not shudder if 
such should be the ending of all my toils for 
riches ? Those who are ambitious of fame or 
honor would also grasp less eagerly at wealth, 
on considering that it alone does not secure 
honor, nor confer any power except over the 
mean and needy ; and that great institu- 
tions, built and endowed in the hope of 
securing pasting fame, have perished, with the 



58 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 



very names of their founders, from the memory 
of mankind. Since the glory of this world 
thus passes quickly away, let your eagerness 
for wealth, dear Brother, also pass speedily 
from your mind. 

To contrast the evils of eagerness with the 
benefits of moderation in the Race for Wealth, 
would aid you in resisting the temptations of 
that Race ; having already stated some of the 
former, I shall now mention a few of the latter. 
By moderation and steady industry in the pur- 
suit of fortune, you can scarcely fail of secur- 
ing an income sufficient for all reasonable 
wants ; and this you may do without sacrific- 
ing, but rather preserving, health of body, 
peace of mind, and purity of morals. At the 
same time, you would have leisure— for various 
indoor and outdoor enjoyments — for study in 
science or art — for professional reading — and 
for general personal improvement : thus fitting 
yourself for any enjoyment an honorable am- 
bition might desire, or to which, the voice of 
your country might raise you. If after all your 
honest endeavors, your position and means 
should be humble, you would still have the 
satisfaction of never having stooped to mean- 
ness or dishonesty ; and thence you would have 
the consciousness of being justified in holding 
yourself high in your own esteem, and in claim- 
ing that of your neighbors; and finally you will 



; 






CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 59 

leave a reputation, of which the beloved ones 
yon left on earth might justly be proud. You 
can recall to mind, or select from your reading, 
the names of many wise and learned men who 
refusing — for the sake of art, science, or the 
welfare of others— to enter on the Race for 
Wealth, did nevertheless thus secure for them- 
selves honor, fame and happiness. Are not 
such men, dear Brother, more worthy of your 
imitation than the hoarders of riches ? 

During your studies in college, you must 
have heard and read many lessons on the vani- 
ty of riches ; then no doubt you were taught 
ethics or morals — not as if they were matters 
for mere metaphysical discussions, but as being 
rules and principles for the proper guidance of 
your actions in practical, every day life. 
There also you perhaps heard such lectures on 
political economy as strongly enforced the 
principle that it was not absolutely necessary 
for your welfare or happiness — that you should 
buy everything you might need in the cheapest 
market, and sell your surplus in the dearest ; 
though that principle, of taking much ancf giv- 
ing little, may be useful to the avaricious, it 
should not be strictly observed by you or by 
any one having higher aims than mere riches. 
The recollection of such college lessons will in- 
duce you, I trust, to moderate your haste in 
the Race for Wealth. Habit you know is called 



60 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

a second nature, because of its power oyer onr 
thoughts and actions. Cultivate then the habit 
of comparing the advantages with the disadvan- 
tages of great wealth ; if you do so fairly, you 
will find that the evils of riches load the scales 
far more heavily than the benefits ; that though 
riches may give us for a time some power and 
influence, they draw down on us vexations and 
the ill-will of others — that if they enable us to 
gratify our vanity, they are but transitory — 
and that should we lose them, whether in youth 
or age, we are left in a more painful condition 
than if we had never possessed them. These 
and similar thoughts will enable you, dear 
Brother, to resist many enticements, perhaps to 
stop short, in the Race for Wealth. 

Cultivate also the habit of looking downward 
as well as upward. Do not keep your gaze 
constantly fixed on the thousands above you, 
who may be richer than you ; but sometimes, 
consider also the millions below you, who are 
poorer :« among the former, though there may 
be much pleasure, you will find much suffering 
and-discontent ; while among the latter, the 
poor, though there are severe labor and suffer- 
ing, you will find also much content and enjoy- 
ment. Thence you can form many calming 
comparisons, well adapted for restraining your 
eagerness in the Race for Wealth. 

The habit of frequenting literary and artisti- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 61 

cal society, also forms a good means for pre- 
venting the mind from dwelling too deeply on 
the advantages of wealth ; for generally in such 
society riches are not deemed to be the su- 
preme good. Lectures, readings, concerts, and 
other intellectual meetings, may then be con- 
sidered some of the best moral preventives 
against an eager craving for riches. 

But the surest moral obstruction against the 
Race for Wealth may be found in the Divine 
rule, which is so comprehensive (but alas ! not 
now very effective) that it cannot be too often 
repeated, viz. — " Do unto others as you would 
wish others to do unto you." You can enforce 
this rule on yourself by applying it in a nega- 
tive form, thus — I shall never do anything 
against another person, however great might 
be the gain, which I would not like another* 5 
should do against me. Then again put sjjecihc 
cases, thus — Would I like that others should 
deceive or cheat me, or openly or secretly rob 
me ? Assuredly after such self -questioning 
none- but a basely selfish person would persist 
in breaking this rule, in order to advance more 
rapidly in the Race for Wealth. 

Should you wish to hear from me again on 
this subject, you must now favor me with an 
answer, giving me your candid opinion of my 
remarks contained in this and the next pre- 



62 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

ceding letter ; whatever that opinion may be, 
rest assured of my continued affection. 

Maeian. 



LETTEE IX. 

D EAE SlSTEE : 

I must at once notice your sug- 
gestion of — a limit law, for it strikes me as 
being something definite, and as likely to prove 
effective in moderating the eagerness of men in 
the Race for Wealth. Such a law would great- 
r ly help to change the present state of things — 
the rich now growing richer, and the poor, 
poorer — into a system by which the rich would 
become poorer, without sinking into poverty ; 
and the poor, richer, without rising into 
wealth : thence would follow your favorite ob- 
ject — moderate inequality of wealth. Such a 
law would prevent another of those violent 
revolutions, which have been forced on by un- 
equal taxation and excessive accumulation of 
private and corporate property. These were 
the main causes of all the great modern revolu- 
tions — of the English revolution in the times of 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 63 

Cliaiies and Cromwell — of our own great revo- 
lution — of the first French revolution — and 
lastly, the question, whether human beings 
should be held as private property, brought on 
our civil war. Shall we be again forced to 
have recourse to that remedy % Very probably 
so, if no preventive be applied to the present 
course of things ; then we would be driven to a 
remedy as fatal as the disease ; either must re- 
sult in our destruction as a free people and 
united nation. Unless some legal preventive 
be adopted, such a disaster may overwhelm us 
in less than a generation. Thirty years ago, 
one hundred thousand dollars were considered 
to be as large a capital as a million is at pres- 
ent. From this tenfold increase of measure, 
there have sprung up a tenfold eagerness for 
wealth — a tenfold extravagance and gaudiness 
of display, with proportionate evil results to 
morals and liberty. In a former letter, you 
suggested that individuals might be allowed to 
amass property to the amount of — ten millions ! 
I must say that for a moderate person you are 
enormously liberal to others ; if that amount 
were permitted, there might as well be no limit 
law — you would allow to one, a sum that would 
make ten men rich ! Now, though not as much 
opposed as you to vast accumulations, I would 
not permit any citizen to amass above the value 
of one million — that sum would afford ample 



64 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

means for effecting the useful or generous de- 
signs to which, you alluded. As we agree on 
the utility of a limit law, you should at once 
set about inducing others to join you in efforts 
to have it enacted. For that purpose, your 
sex would prove effective workers, women ever 
being zealous and persistent in a good cause ; 
but they now fritter away these useful quali- 
ties in fruitless efforts to attain results, which 
would follow more surely from the operation 
of a limit law. The success of women in their 
laudable efforts to suppress drunkenness and 
general vice, is far from being commensurate 
with their zeal and persistence ; nor are the re- 
sults permanent ; within thirty years, at least 
three grand crusades have been undertaken 
against intemperance, yet still this sin-and- 
misery-breeding vice widely prevails. Why 
this comparative failure? Because one of the 
main causes of that vice has not been removed, 
but ever irritates the vice into renewed life and 
strength. Men in general do not desire intoxi- 
cating liquors merely for their effects ; they 
are often driven to use such stupifying drinks 
through hopelessness of ever obtaining a com- 
fortable amount of property, or by bitterness 
and recklessness of spirit at beholding others, 
no better than themselves, rolling in wealth. 
Give such men some clearer prospect of gain- 
ing a living income, by removing from their 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 65 

course, through a limit law, those who may 
have already reached the goal of abundance, 
and thus inspiring brighter hopes, you will 
spread widely a higher morality. Extirpate, 
by a limit law, vast inequality of wealth, that 
main root of the Upas of drunkenness, and you 
will then easily cut oif its weakened branches 
of vice and misery. Banish despair by raising 
hope, thus you will lay a sure and lasting 
foundation for temperance, morality, and con- 
tent. Work then for a law to limit the accu- 
mulation of private wealth ; a law that would 
protect the poor from oppression and remove 
their discontent — and the rich from jealous 
hatred and revolution, should be anxiously de- 
sired by both. 

If it should appear that the general welfare 
would be injured, by such a law causing a 
skilful manager to withdraw from any busi- 
ness, he might be allowed to retain the man- 
agement ; and in order to give him a personal 
interest in the success of the business, he might 
be granted a small percentage of the profits, 
the remainder of these being distributed among 
the workpeople, who should also have received 
their usual wages ; the manager should also 
be secured against any liability in case the 
business should not succeed. Thus he would 
be gratified by the recognition of his skill ; 
and by having the opportunity of proving 



6b THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

that he had not been working merely to gather 
up riches, but also for the welfare of his fel- 
low-men : while at the same time the country 
instead of losing, would gain politically and 
socially, by the diffusion of the profits among 
the people. 

This other great benefit would result from a 
limit law — it would effectually prevent labor 
strikes^ so destructive of mutual good feelings 
among citizens, and of the prosperity of all. 
"When men should know that no person could 
amass more than a moderate amount of prop- 
erty, which all might hope to gain, they would 
cease to envy or attack capital ; they would 
see plainly that to destroy property, would 
lessen the chance of each man of amassing 
something for himself, and would destroy the 
prosperity of all alike. 

To have a limit law enacted may be difficult, 
but to declare it impossible would be absurd 
in this country, whose citizens can, by their 
votes, so freely express and so readily enforce 
their will — here the ballot-box is an autocrat, 
whose behests all must obey; work then for a 
limit law by rousing that autocrat thus to en- 
force his great power for the welfare of our 
country. The great need of such a law is 
proved by the daily recurring fact, that death 
and the subsequent redistribution of property 
are not sufficient to prevent the accumulation 



CONSIDERED B Y A BROTHER AND SISTER. 67 

of enormous riches by individuals, or the con- 
sequent evil results to the freedom and morality 
of the people. 

If women desire to acquire the political 
power of voting for laws or law-makers, they 
could find no surer method of succeeding, than 
by suggesting useful general laws, and by 
exerting their indirect, yet strong, power to 
have them enacted ; thus proving their ca- 
pacity for legislating wisely, they could more 
readily secure equal and. full opportunities 
with men for sharing in the government of 
their country. 

Of course, dear Sister, you perceive that, no 
more than any human law, a limit law would 
not free us from ail discontent or misery, for 
"the poor we shall always have among us ;" 
that law certainly would not bring on the — 
Millennium, but it would advance us, if not 
very far, at least over the greatest difficulty, 
the first step towards that condition of the 
world we all so ardently hope for, and which 
has been promised for those who may live to 
that desirable period. Assuredly the names 
of those who would succeed in having a limit 
law enacted, would be consecrated in the mem- 
ories of a grateful posterity. Shall your name, 
dear Sister, or that of any of your friends, 
thus brighten a page of our country' s history 1 

Let me now sum up the points on which we 



68 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

mainly agree, viz. — that the desire to acquire 
property is natural and beneficial, but which, 
when carried to excess, leads to oppression 
and revolution — that vast accumulations of 
private wealth produce evils, which not being 
fully remedied by redistribution of property 
at the death of the possessor, ought to be 
remedied by a limit law — that that law should 
limit strictly the amount of property any in- 
dividual could possess — that the limit should 
not be very narrow, so as not to suppress the 
spirit of enterprise or of generosity — that any 
excess above the limit should be confiscated 
for the benefit of the State — that such a law 
being for the interest of rich and poor alike, 
both should desire and work for its enactment 
—that such a law could and should be passed 
by the votes of the citizens, in all the States of 
the Union — that women having no direct 
power, yet much indirectly, over votes, should 
exert their power in favor of a law so likely 
to prove equally beneficial to both sexes — that 
such a law would prevent labor strikes, aris- 
ing from jealousy and igorance of the amount 
of profits, and would revive, advance and pre- 
serve the freedom, welfare and happiness of 
our country. 

I had some thought of asking you to join 
with me in an effort to prevail on our Uncle, 
the statesman, to form a Limit Law Party ; 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 69 

but on further consideration, I think it would 
not be well to do so, for as the question con- 
cerns the welfare of all, it should not be used 
to rouse the sympathy or activity of a mere 
party, but of the whole people — we should not, 
"Give up to a party what is meant for man- 
kind." But our personal disinclination to at- 
tempt forming such a party, should not of 
course induce us to oppose others in such an 
attempt 

But, dear Sister, now leaving the further dis- 
cussion of a Limit Law, in its full political and 
financial bearings, until we meet again, and re- 
turning to the general subject of your letters, 
I freely acknowledge that on the whole your 
representations, regarding the bad social effects 
of great riches, and the moral dangers incur- 
red in their pursuit, have made a deep impres- 
sion on my mind. Still, I feel it will be diffi- 
cult to avoid imitating the crowds who are 
rushing onward so eagerly in the Race for 
Wealth. While I see so many intelligent and 
seemingly honest men working, scheming and 
plotting to amass riches — while I see the sweet, 
enticing smiles of some of the fairest of your 
sex bestowed on notorious knaves, in the mean 
hope of sharing their plunder — while I see 
such doings, I confess I find it hard to refrain 
from following the course of those men of greed, 
however base, dishonest, or dishonorable it may 



70 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

be. From these remarks you can judge that 
you have not fully convinced me of the real 
worthlessness and danger of great riches. If 
then you wish or hope to moderate my zeal in 
the Race for Wealth, you must offer me some 
higher and more lasting motives of conduct, 
than the respect and favor of fellow-men and 
my own esteem — you must warn and turn me 
from the pursuit of wealth by stronger objec- 
tions, than the pain of bodily labor, or mental 
troubles, or than the contempt or hatred of 
moderate and honorable fellow-citizens. 

Anxiously hoping that you will be able to in- 
dicate some such higher motives of action ; and 
that, by thus removing from my mind all un- 
certainty on this important subject, you will 
enable me to pursue firmly such a course of 
conduct as any just and sensible man, or you 
and all reasonable women, might approve, I re- 
new the assurance of my sincere affection for 
you. 

G-EOEGE. 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 71 



LETTEE X. 



My Dear Brother . 

I have always thought that you 
possess much nobleness of character — that you 
despise meanness and dishonesty — that even 
your desire for wealth was not excited by mere 
greed or sensuality, but by the hope that it 
would enable you to work more efficiently for 
the benefit of our country and of mankind — 
having this opinion of you, I am not surprised 
that you require higher rules of conduct, than 
those founded on worldly or selfish motives. 

The highest, surest and wisest rules for our 
conduct are founded, as you may already know, 
on religion ; and therefore I shall here offer 
you a few remarks on that subject, as far as it 
relates to riches. But while doing so, I shall 
address you as one having, like myself, the 
seven following points of belief confirmed in 
your mind. 

1. That you, dear Brother, consider yourself 
to be — not a mere beast of the fields, but a man 
possessed of an immortal soul — that you be- 
lieve, not only through divine revelation, but 



72 



THE RACE FOR WEALTH 



also through, a natural, inborn, irrepressible 
proof within yourself, that your soul is im- 
mortal — and, that in eternity, it will enter into 
a state of pleasure or of pain, according to 
your faith and deeds in this world. 

2. That you know — this belief regarding the 
soul and its future condition, is clearly ex- 
plained and confirmed by the teachings of the 
Christian religion. 

3. That you know — such were and are the 
beliefs of the wisest and best of men, in the 
most enlightened countries. 

4. That you know — this religion by its con- 
formity with, and thence by its fitness for, the 
nature of man, is most conducive to his welfare 
and happiness, thus clearly indicating its di- 
vine source. 

5. That you know — wherever this religion 
prevails, men are there most civilized, and 
thence enjoy as much comfort and happiness 
as this world can afford. 

6. That you know — if the teachings of this 
religion were fully and faithfully practiced, 
mankind would enjoy on earth a large fore- 
taste of the happiness of heaven. 

7. That you know — without this religion 
there would be no, or but little, self-denial, 
charity, or pure morals, as every one might 
and would then act, just as His fancy or pas- 



sions might dictate ; 



ho one caring much to be 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 73 

virtuous, nor fearing to be wicked, since there 
would be no other rewards or punishments, 
than merely snch as might be awarded in this 
world, during the short period of the life of 
man : that unrestrained by the hope or fear of 
eternity, unbelieving men would freely indulge 
in their brutal passions, crying out — "let us 
eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die." 
As an answer to those vain words of the 
thoughtless, how impressive is the following 
warning — "Rejoice, O young man, in thy 
youth ; and let thy heart cheer thee in the 
days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of 
thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes : but 
know that for all these things God will bring 
thee into judgment." 

Now, dear Brother, if I were not assured of 
these exalting truths, and of your belief in 
them, I should scarcely take the trouble of ad- 
ducing warnings from the Scriptures, against 
an eager Race for Wealth ; for it would matter 
little what a soulless being, a mere animal, 
might do, in its fleeting course of only three 
score years and ten. But being assured of 
your belief in the above points — a belief which 
cannot fail of being strengthened by reading 
of, and observing, the actions and condition of 
mankind throughout the earth — I shall now 
submit to you a few short remarks on some 
of the warnings and counsels regarding 



74 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 






riclies, that are recorded in the divine Testa- 
ments. 

The conformity of the Christian religion with 
the nature of man, is plainly seen by its teach- 
ings abont property. Some men are lazy, care- 
less, or wasteful ; others toil incessantly, 
being avaricious, miserly, or vain. To control 
men of these different characters for their own 
good, Christianity exhorts the former to prac- 
tise industry and economy ; and warns the lat- 
ter against covetousness, and laboring over 
much for the things of this world. 

In the first place, let us examine both the 
direct and the imx)lied exhortations to industry 
and economy, many sueh may be found through- 
out both Testaments ; but knowing that you 
read often in these books, I shall notice only 
some selected texts. As you will show these 
letters to some of your friends, perhaps I 
should quote more texts and extend my re- 
marks on them, and thus possibly induce those 
friends to cease killing their already swift 
passing time with light literature, and lead 
them to read pages that will prepare them for 
eternal life. 

Some very impressive and practical texts on 
our subject are found in the Proverbs of Solo- 
mon ; which for their wisdom and knowledge 
of human nature, are as applicable to man and 
society now, as when they were written three 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 75 

thousand years ago ; and which have caused, 
as you know, the name of their author and the 
fame of his wisdom to prevail widely among 
mankind in the saying — " as wise as Solomon." 
So, dear Brother, if you wish to know much 
about the ways of certain men, and of the world 
generally — to know whom or what to seek or 
avoid, without running the risk of close per- 
sonal experience, study these Proverbs. 

Their sixth chapter contains a forcible ex- 
hortation to industry, in the simple and pleasing 
picture of the industrious ant, which, by pro- 
viding in due season for the future, affords a 
warning lesson to the sluggard, who through 
his idleness falls into want and misery. In an- 
other place (20 ch.) it is said — " The sluggard 
will not plough by reason of the cold ; there- 
fore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing." 
And again (26 ch.) it is said — "The slothful 
man saith, there is a lion in the way, a lion in 
the street." These texts present striking types 
of the common excuses for idleness, and of its 
painful results ; and bo.th are unhappily as 
prevalent now as in ancient times. Have you, 
dear Brother, never made a frivolous excuse, 
to avoid a necessary or sacred duty % Have 
you never pretended that the weather was too 
hot, or too cold, or too wet, to allow of your 
uniting with fellow- Christians in church, to 
offer public thanksgivings to the Creator of all 



76 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

things and beings % Yon cannot be offended 
at these questions, for you know that such 
weak excuses are often made even by the well- 
inclined, and still oftener by the thoughtless, 
the sensual and the covetous. 

In the thirty -first chapter special encourage- 
ment is given to the industrious of my sex, in 
the following words — " 10. Who can find a 
virtuous woman ? for her price is above rubies. 
. . . . She looketh well to the ways of her 
household, and eateth not the bread of idle- 
ness. Her children rise up and call her blessed, 
her husband also, and he praiseth her. ' ' 

This last verse contains not only praise for 
industrious women, but also this plain sugges- 
tion for thankless husbands — that praise when 
due should be given to one' s own wif e, and not 
be reserved entirely for those of others. 

You may readily find other exhortations and 
encouragements to industry, both in the Prov- 
erbs and Ecclesiastes ; but let us now select a 
few from the New Testament. 

You will first observe that the Disciples 
were workingmen, fishermen, husbandmen, 
etc., that St. Paul was a tent-maker, that 
even Christ himself wrought as a carpenter. 
In several of His parables, you will find les- 
sons which plainly suggest the necessity of 
being industrious. For instance, the parable 
of the Talents (Matt, 25) forcibly suggests the 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 77 

duty and propriety of improving our means 
and powers. In various other texts (11 and 12 
Luke) Christ directly exhorts ns to give alms ; 
which of course implies the necessity of pro- 
viding the means for doing so. His striking 
and affecting parable of the Prodigal Son 
(Luke 15) affords an impressive warning against 
extravagance. 

Christ also gives a direct exhortation to prac- 
tice economy when, after having miraculously 
and abundantly fed many thousands with a 
few loaves and fish, (St. John 6.) He com- 
mands his Disciples to — "Gather up the frag- 
ments that remain, that nothing be lost. ' ' 

You may easily find many other texts bear- 
ing on these points ; but on the whole, you 
will observe that Christ does not praise indus- 
try so forcibly as he condemns covetousness — 
for man is most prone to grasp at gain — to let 
the material overcome the spiritual part of his 
nature. Let me entreat you, dear Brother, not 
to suffer yourself to be thus overcome. 

We may now consider a few texts regarding 
industry, from the records of the Apostles. In 
the twelfth chapter of St. Paul's letters to the 
Romans, you will find such a fund of good 
sense, charity and kindness, that it cannot fail 
to move even the thoughtless and hardened to 
admire and obey. Among other things, he 
there beseeches his readers in these words re- 



78 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

lating to our point — u l\ot to be slothful in 
business " — "Distributing to the necessities of 
the saints ; given to hospitality " — to " Provide 
things honest in the sight of all men," etc. But 
read the whole chapter, it will give you lessons 
for this world, that cannot fail to help you well 
on your way to a better one. 

In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul 
exhorts them to give alms liberally — "not 
grudgingly, or of necessity ; for God loveth 
a cheerful giver." The same Apostle in his 
second letter to the Thessalonians, exhorts them 
still more forcibly to shun idleness and evil 
company. But I shall quote only these few 
spirited words, which will assuredly induce 
you, a man of spirit, to read the whole chap- 
ter — "Neither did we eat any man's bread for 
naught ; but wrought with labor and travail 
night and day, that we might not be chargeable 

to any of you" "For even when we 

were with you, this we commanded you, that 
if any would not work neither should he eat." 
What a powerful enforcement are these words 
of the noble duty, that every one should sup- 
port himself by his own honest industry ! 

You may*nnd many other texts which en- 
courage industry, these with your own good 
sense will be sufficient, so I need not insist fur- 
ther on the necessity of practicing that virtue. 
I had intended to submit to you here some 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 79 

texts and remarks regarding covetousness and 
riches, but I must reserve them for another 
letter, which I trust will not prove less accept- 
able to you, because of its coming from an 
affectionate Sister. 

Marian. 



LETTER XL 



Dear Brother : 

Let us now consider the texts 
on covetousness and riches, but only a few, 
as I know you are not so vain and thought- 
less, as to neglect to read frequently in that 
Book which, for so many ages, has guided 
and controlled the laws and morals of the 
best and most intelligent men and nations of 
the earth. 

In the first place, you will find a strong pro- 
test, a positive order, against covetousness, 
that eager desire for Wealth, in two of God's 
special commandments, viz., u Thou shalt not 
steal." " Thou shalt shalt not covet . . . 
anything that is thy neighbor's." (Exod. 20.) 

During an eager Race for Wealth the avar- 
icious can scarcely avoid breaking these com- 



80 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

mandnients, either directly or indirectly, either 
audaciously or cunningly; but any person so 
acting, if robbed in turn during this eager 
Race, loses the right of complaining ; but the 
moderate man obeying these commandments 
can fairly demand help from his fellow-citizens 
against a robber or cheat. 

These commandments refer to our conduct 
towards men, but there is another which tells 
us our duty towards God — viz., "9. Six days 
shaltthou labor and do all thy work ; 10. But 
the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy 
God : in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, 
nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-ser- 
vant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor 
the stranger that is within thy gates." 

When obeyed this commandment is a merci- 
ful hinderance in the Race for Wealth. But 
do the avaricious, the eager Racers after 
Wealth, obey it % Do they not rather show 
plainly by their actions, that they blasphem- 
ously consider it as a means of robbing them 
of a seventh part of their riches ? Do they 
not without need, openly, shamelessly, work 
on the Sabbath ; then privately balancing their 
accounts, or forming new schemes to increase 
their hoards \ Such men will find that wealth 
thus made, in disregard of God or of man, 
though it niay delight them for a time, cannot 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 81 

save them from contempt here nor from woe 
in eternity. 

Leaving you to select for yourself many 
other references to covetousness and riches, 
from the next succeeding books, I shall now 
quote texts on these subjects from the Pro- 
verbs. You will there find that riches are 
not wholly condemned ; but though they are 
promised as a reward to the diligent and 
liberal, they are shown to be a curse to the 
covetous and miserly. There we are told that 
— "The hand of the diligent maketh rich;" 
but again it is said — "He that trusteth in his 
riches shall fall." 

In another place we read — " The rich man is 
wise in his own conceit ; but the poor that 
hath understanding searcheth him out." (28. 
11.) There also you can find these words, so 
of ten proved to be true in our days — "Wilt 
thou set thine eyes upon that which is not ? 
for riches certainly make themselves wings ; 
they fly away, as an eagle towards heaven." 
Even at present, a very striking exemplifica- 
tion of this text exists among us. — A very aged 
man whose millions mounted far up into the 
teens, lost them all, while he was yet striving 
to rake up more heaps of treasure ; he did not 
leave them by dying, but they left him, ' ' they 
made themselves wings," while he was still 
desperately struggling to hold them in his 



82 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

grasp. During the full tide of his success, he 
thought to bribe men and angels by founding 
a college, for the instruction of guides to en- 
courage and lead us on the way from earth to 
heaven ; but he failed in his bribe, that feeble 
effort to make amends for his long worship of 
mammon ; he never thought that there is a 
far wider difference, than mere length of 
words, between sanctity and sanctimonious- 
ness. But before the storm of ill-fortune burst 
upon him, he had happily for himself dropped 
anchors to windward, which saved him from 
being wrecked and cast away on the rocky, 
inhospitable shores of Poorhouse Bay. So 
now he amuses himself, as in a circus, by 
watching the desperate combats of bulls and 
bears in the arena of the Stock board — poor 
man, "even in his ashes live his wonted fires!" 

From Proverbs, here are two more texts, of 
which the last one suggests a strong condemna- 
tion of an eager Race for Wealth : — "A good 
name is rather to be chosen than great riches, 
and loving favor than silver or gold.'- "He 
that maketh haste to be rich shall not be in- 
nocent." (28, 20). Observe the force of that 
word 7iaste, it plainly points out the main 
cause of most of the sins and crimes committed 
in the Pace for Wealth. 

Let us now turn to the JSTew Testament, and 
consider the texts which declare the judgment 






CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 83 

of Christ and his Apostles regarding riches. 
In his Sermon on the Mount, Christ exhorts us 
not to lay up treasures on earth, but in heaven 
— " For where your treasure is, there will your 
heart be also." But how can we lay up trea- 
sures in heaven ? Faith in God, and acting as 
He desires towards our fellow-men on earth, 
will constitute treasures, which having led the 
heart to heaven, will also there prepare a joy- 
ful entrance for the soul. Christ further says 
— u K"o man can serve two masters ; for either 
he will hate the one and love the other ; or else 
he will hold to the one, and despise the other. 
Ye cannot serve God and mammon." What- 
ever we do then, dear Brother, let us not be 
slaves to riches, though we may properly make 
them slaves to our good designs. But read 
that whole Sermon, for if you have mind or 
heart, it cannot fail to do good to both. 

At another time, Christ thus teaches his Dis- 
ciples — " Verily, I say unto you, it is easier for 
a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than 
for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of 
God." What a solemn warning against bur- 
thening ourselves with wealth ! When, on 
hearing these words, his Disciples asked — 
"Who then can be saved?" Christ answered 
— " With man this is impossible, but with God 
all things are possible." By this answer he 
plainly showed that the condition of the rich 



is not utterly hopeless — that they may still 
trust in the power and goodness of God. Kow 
pray read the twelfth chapter of St. Luke, 
you will there find an impressive parable, 
showing how transitory are riches ; thence you 
can judge how great is the folly of amassing 
them. 

Read also the sixth chapter of St. Paul's 
first letter to the Apostle Timothy ; you will 
find it full of admirable counsels to the rich, 
showing them j)lainly the folly of engaging in 
an eager Eace for Wealth. On this point he 
says — "For we have brought nothing into this 
world, and it is certain we can carry nothing 
out." — '-And having food and raiment, let us 
be therewith content.'' The following parts of 
two other verses, warn us against the conse- 
quences of the desire for wealth — "But they 
that will be rich fall into temptation and a 
snare," etc. — "For the love of money is the 
root of all evil," etc. 

But again I advise you, dear Brother, to read 
the whole chapter, for however wise or learned 
you may be, it will add to your wisdom and 
knowledge. 

From these few texts, selected from both 
Testaments, you can conclude that industry 
and economy are commended, but that anxious 
desire or toil for wealth is condemned — that 
though riches are promised as a reward for a 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 85 

certain course of life, yet mat greed or love of 
them 'is strongly denounced. Thus by con- 
trasted counsels and exhortations regarding 
riches, men of opposite characters are all en- 
couraged to fulfill properly their duties on earth, 
and thence to hope that they may render them- 
selves, in some degree, worthy of the rewards 
of heaven. 

From these and other texts, we may certainly 
draw the following conclusions — that poverty 
of itself is no merit, nor the mere possession 
of riches a sin — that our opinion of each re- 
spectively, should be formed according to the 
cause of the one, and the source and use made 
of the other : there is no merit in the poverty 
of the lazy or vicious, nor sin in the riches of 
the industrious and virtuous. 

Assuredly, the rich should not condemn or 
despise indiscriminately all the poor ; nor 
should the poor envy or hate all who possess 
riches. You know, dear Brother, that on both 
sides, many are guilty of this great injustice. 

On these two points, moderation and avarice 
in the Race for Wealth, I shall finish my quo- 
tations with the admirable prayer of Agur, 
which so clearly indicates a just medium for 
our desire for property, and which, as you 
know, is found in the 30th chapter of Proverbs : 

"7. Two things have I required of thee; 
deny me them not before I die : Remove far 



88 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

from me vanity and lies ; give me neither 
poverty nor riches ; feed me with food con- 
venient for me ; Lest I be full and deny thee, 
and say, Who is the Lord ? or lest I be poor, 
and steal, and take the name of my God in 
vain." 

Yon must admit, dear Brother, that only 
silly, thoughtless, or brutal persons could re- 
ject the advice and promises of these texts — 
presenting so forcibly their wise and exalted 
motives for our observing of moderation in the 
Race for Wealth ; assuredly they will at least 
guide and control you in that Race — you who 
possess a stronger and more thoughtful mind 
than is common. 

And truly, what higher, better, or more last- 
ing motives of conduct could we find — than 
that of showing our love for our Creator, by 
obeying his beneficent commands — than that 
of helping our helpless and distressed fellow- 
men — than that of preparing our souls for the 
companionship of angels in the joys of eternity ? 
That such company and such joys may be yours, 
dear Brother, is the sincere prayer of your 
affectionate sister. 

It may be that you, like many others, are 
careless or lukewarm in restraining your desire 
or efforts for wealth, so that you might render 
yourself more worthy of the rewards of heaven, 
because these, not being precisely described, 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER . 87 

are above your comprehension. The angels 
are represented as being arrayed in bright 
robes, as bearing palms of victory, or as re- 
joicing with songs and the mnsic of harps. 
These representations are given merely as gen- 
eral symbols of joy, which we can understand, 
as decorations and music are usual accompany - 
ment of rejoicings on earth. 

We can infer something further of the nature 
of the joys of heaven, from what St. John says 
in the Revelations, concerning the New Jeru- 
salem : (21, 4). 

"And God shall wipe away all tears from 
their eyes ; and there shall be no more death, 
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there 
be any more pain ; for the former things are 
passed away." 

A more precise picture of the joys of heaven 
has not been given us, because of the happily 
wide difference in the tempers and desires of 
mankind. What some love, others hate — what 
gives pleasure to some, brings torment to 
others. According as we advance from youth 
to age, according as our varying passions are 
stronger or weaker, we change and differ 
widely in our wishes and feelings. To meet 
these variations in our nature and feelings, a 
general symbolical outline of the blessings of 
heaven have been given us, which may suit 
persons of every age, of every temperament, 



88 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

and of every clime ; so that all may work and 
strive with firm faith and hope of attaining the 
desired and promised blessings. That the joys 
of heaven are blissful, ecstatic, 'we can judge 
from these words of the Prophet Isaiah — " For 
since the beginning of the world men have not 
heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath 
the eye seen, O God, besides thee, what He 
hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him." 
(Ish. 64.) 

Referring to this, St. Paul says— "But as it 
is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, 
neither have entered into the heart of man, the 
things that God has prepared for them that 
love him." (1 Cor. 2.) 

I trust and hope, my dear Brother, that 
seeing how shortlived and unsatisfactory are 
the pleasures of this world, you will resolutely 
abate your eagerness in the Race for Wealth ; 
as then you may prepare yourself more care- 
fully for your last hour on earth, and thence 
you may triumphantly exclaim—" O Death, 
where is thy sting ! Grave, where is thy 
victory !" and calmly breathe your last, in the 
firm trust that your soul will ascend to heaven, 
there to enjoy those immortal blessings — "that 
God has prepared for them that love him." 

On your return home, dear Brother, we 
can converse and study more fully on these 
solemn and interesting subjects ; in the mean- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 89 

time, by sending me another letter, expressing 
your present feelings and opinions, you would 
highly gratify your ever affectionate Sister — 

Marian. 



LETTEE XII. 



My Dear Sister : 

You have conquered ! I gladly 
yield to your counsels, strengthened as they 
have been by special reading, and by my own 
thoughts and observations. For guiding or 
controlling my thoughts and actions, you have 
truly shown me higher, nobler, and more last- 
ing motives, than any founded merely on the 
pains or pleasures of this world. 

To love and obey a Creator, who has placed 
us on earth so far above the level of the brutes 
— to help our fellow-men, and to work for their 
welfare — " to love God above all things and 
our neighbors as ourselves" — to aspire for that 
immortal happiness, which we may enjoy in 
the company of angelic hosts — these indeed 
are motives that may well move us to restrain 
with unwearied zeal every inflamed passion or 
base desire — and induce us to put in practice 



00 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

every worthy thought by worthy deeds. As 
they -were influenced and exalted by such 
divine motives, we can scarcely wonder at the 
willing, joyful sacrifice of their lives by the 
Martyrs of our faith. Influenced then by these 
motives, I shall firmly restrain my eagerness in 
the Race for Wealth. But as my obedience to 
God, and my duty to myself and others, de- 
mand that I should be industrious, I shall not 
withdraw altogether from the Race ; still I 
shall so control and limit my exertions therein, 
that I may never break the divine rule — u to 
do unto others, as I would wish others to do 
unto me." 

I have been again reading your letters, and 
have formed the following short synopsis of 
them, for my own behoof and that of friends, 
some of whom are in need of, and may profit 
by, your counsels and advice. 

1. In an eager Race for Wealth, we must 
sacrifice — time and health — friendship, honor 
and honesty ; we must commit, and submit to, 
mean, base and cruel actions ; yet after all, 
there is but a bare possibility that we may 
gain riches. Experience has often proved the 
truth of this statement. 

2. In an eager Race for Wealth, we incur 
open or secret envy, hatred, or contempt, 
which will be but the more inflamed, the more 
we extend our ostentatious liberality. 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 91 

3. In an eager Race for Wealth, we trans- 
gress divine and human laws ; thus setting an 
evil example to our fellow-citizens, we debase 
their morals, and thence we destroy their wel- 
fare, and rain the reputation of our country. 

4. But above all, in an eager Race for Wealth, 
we grieve our Creator by neglecting or break- 
ing the beneficent laws he has made for our 
real and lasting welfare ; then hateful to men, 
and displeasing to Him, our departing spirit 
may well despair of His mercy in Eternity. 

1. On the other hand, by moderate industry 
and skill we may secure a comfortable compe- 
tence — may be able to help others less fortu- 
nate — and may find time to improve our own 
mental, moral and physical condition. 

2. By moderation in the Race for Wealth, 
we may secure our own fair esteem, the good 
will of friends and neighbors, and the respect 
of our fellow- citizens. 

3. By moderation in the Race for Wealth, 
we offer a good and encouraging example, and 
thus we may promote the welfare and happi- 
ness of fellow-men, and the honor and reputa- 
tion of our country. 

4. By moderation in the Race for Wealth, 
we obey the explicit commands of God ; hence 
we may calmly, gladly depart from this world, 
with the firm hope of being received with re- 

among the blessed in heaven. Now, 



92 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

my dear Sister, having plainly before me these 
widely different results— misery or compara- 
tive happiness on earth, and a woeful or blessed 
existence hereafter — I would deem myself a 
very thoughtless, sensual, or even brutal be- 
ing, if I did not resolve to moderate my efforts 
in the Race for Wealth. By moderate indus- 
try I may obtain more than a sufficiency for 
all my reasonable wants — if I should not, I may 
still have my own fair esteem, my peace of 
mind, and my divine hopes. 

But if by moderate and honest industry, I 
should obtain not only competence, but even 
great riches, as sometimes happens, I would 
then endeavor to manage and distribute these 
in such a way, that when I should ' ' stand be- 
fore God," to hear my record read from " the 
Book of Life," I might firmly trust and hope 
to hear those joyful words of the parable, ad- 
dressed to me from the awful and merciful 
judgment seat — "Well done thou good and 

faithful servant enter thou into the 

joy of thy Lord." 

On my return home, my dear Sister, I shall 
offer you my most sincere, heartfelt thanks, 
for the good counsels and advice you have 
given to me, your very grateful Brother 

George. 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 93 



LETTER XIII. 



My Deae Sister : 

1 ' Pity the sorrows of a poor young 
man" — I cannot quit my present post— for 
some months more ; I cannot return home, as 
I had hoped, nor have the pleasure of seeing 
you. Yet we may be consoled in our disap- 
pointment, on considering that the delay is 
caused not by my desire of increasing my 
gains, but by my wish to help a worthy man 
in his business troubles, and thus to keep to- 
gether an amiable family. During this length- 
ened absence, I trust you will not refuse to re- 
new our correspondence, which has afforded 
me at least so much instruction and pleasure. 
In that hope, I now submit to you some addi- 
tional remarks on the questions of property 
and the Race for Wealth. 

I begin by stating this principle — that 
in all laws made to guide or restrain 
man, man's nature should be controlled, 
but never tried to be suppressed : unless 
this principle be observed, it were vain to 



94 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

hope to make laws effective — nature will rebel 
against laws that enslave instead of guiding or 
protecting. Now, Communists, desiring com- 
munity or equality of property, utterly neglect 
this principle in their plans ; they forget that 
the desire for private property is not a mere 
artificial growth, but is inherent in man, is 
born with him. 

The savage in his wigwam must have his own 
blanket and his own tomahawk — as the prince 
in his palace must have his own robes and his 
own sword. The weak child will contend as 
desperately and passionately for his own toys 
as the stout man will for his own goods : both, 
thus obeying a law of their nature. Commu- 
nity of property then, as it attempts to tram- 
ple out the nature of man, must fail. The 
system has indeed sometimes partially suc- 
ceeded, when ostensibly united with a system 
of religion ; but all such establishments have 
been only on a small scale, yet large enough to 
prove that they could not be carried on exten- 
sively — and that their principles when en- 
forced bring on a moral, intellectual and 
physical deterioration in man. 

The condition and feelings of the denizens 
of the establishments of the celibate Shakers, 
or of the polygamous Mormons, or of the 
pormiscuous Noyesites, have proved that in 
order to attain the highest degree of intellec- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 95 

tual, moral or physical well-being on earth, 
man craves and requires more individual 
power over property, than such societies will 

(allow. This phrase — community of property, 
has two meanings — (1) it may mean that the 
property of a nation should be amassed in a 
common fund, from which a share might be 
drawn periodically by each individual accord- 
ing to his wants ; the nature and extent of 
these being of course judged and controlled 
by society, through its appointed officials — or 
(2) it may mean that property should be 
equally divided, from time to time; among 
the individuals of the community. If taken 
in the first meaning, things had better remain 
as they are ; for the property thus in common 
must still be managed and distributed by 
numerous bodies of officials, who possibly 
might be above all human weakness or base- 
ness — but has experience shown that such 
would be the case \ Should the principle of 
Community prevail in this sense, the whole 
world would be no better than a prison ruled 
by keepers, to whom each person must apply 
for his or her rations. What a happy lot for 
all, thus to be under perpetual subjection 
or control as children, or as criminals ! In 
the second sense, the principle being likewise 
contrary to the feelings of man, the results 



96 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

would be equally deplorable, as may be seen 
by putting a single case. 

There is one million of inhabitants in New 
York, one of whom possesses, say, twenty 
millions of dollars, the others — nothing. 
Should that sum be equally divided among 
the people, each would have twenty dollars. 
But at the end of a week, how much would 
each have ? A few perhaps some thousands — 
a greater number some hundreds — but the vast 
majority would probably possess — not one 
cent : such a result must follow from the 
different temperaments of men. 

Certain Communists assert that "property 
is robbery." Then all men, even Communists, 
are robbers in spirit, for all desire property. 
But even your scheme, Mr. Communist, would 
not prevent unequal shares in possessions, 
which you call robbery. All men are not 
equal in size, nor in appetite ; nor does size 
bestow superior capacity or force ; yet all 
must be fed and clothed according to their 
needs. Thence the broad-shouldered and long- 
limbed man must rob his smaller fellows in 
order to supply his wardrobe ; and the glutton- 
ous must starve or rob the abstemious. So, 
Mr. Communist, to carry out your fine theories 
to a just conclusion, you must use the bed of 
Procrustes — you must chop all men down to 
an equal size — must make all equal in mind 






CONSIDERED B Y A BROTHER AND SISTER. 97 

and appetite — you must perform these mira- 
cles, before you, with thoughtless or selfish 
philanthrophy, can justly cry out so loudly 
against the holders of property — stop thief. 

Some men demand that the principle of 
community should be applied only to certain 
kinds of property — to land, mines, banks and 
railroads ; all these, it is proposed, should be 
placed under a general management or govern- 
ment for the common benefit of the people. 
Hopes of benefit from such an arrangement 
are sadly darkened by experience. The con- 
duct of affairs by a general government, often 
fails to satisfy even moderate expectations. 
Rulers and officers are incapable or corrupt, 
thence come mismanagement and plundering, 
bringing suffering and disgrace on the whole 
country : do not many recent occurrences un- 
fortunately justify this statement ? In the 
private or corporate management of any busi- 
ness, though there may be delinquency, yet 
the officials having a direct personal interest 
watch over the work with the closest care, and 
thence comes the greatest profit. Would 
efficient and pure managers be more easily 
found for public than for private business \ 
Does the wish for the general welfare always, 
or ever, prove as strong as the sense of per- 
sonal interest ? In view of the negative re- 
plies that must be given to these questions, it 



98 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

must be allowed that it would be ruinous to 
the properties in question, to subject them to 
public or national management. At the same 
time, it must be acknowleged that the private 
management of roads, mines and banks re- 
quires much improvement, in order that the 
people may obtain from them as much benefit 
as may be fairly claimed. 

Communism, mutualism, or whatever it may 
be called, still but means this — passing the 
control of capital from one class of persons to 
another ; that other being more numerous and 
less interested, will therefore be less careful, 
less efficient, and so less productive of benefit 
to all. 

Thoughtless or knavish persons have this 
phrase for a favorite cry — the emancipation of 
working men ! Emancipation from what ? 
From labor \ That is impossible since this 
doom was pronounced on all the sons of men 
— "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat 
bread." Emancipation from capital is equally 
impossible, for capital consists not of cash 
alone — credit is capital — so is mind — so is skill 
— so is health— so is strength. But taking the 
word in its narrowest sense — as cash, there 
can be no emancipation from it — it may be 
transferred, but still its managers must rule, 
and workers obey. This is very plainly seen 
in the Railroad business, the capital of which 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 99 

is owned by millions of persons, both among 
the rich and the poor — the owners of thousands 
or of a few hundreds, yet the managers of the 
roads necessarily rule the workers as abso- 
lutely as if owners of the whole capital. 
Emancipation of workers then is a mere high - 
sounding phrase, teaching nothing, but sug- 
gesting violence and folly. What labor wants 
and may fairly demand is a larger return for 
its capital of strength and skill ; or a just 
share of the produce of the combined capitals 
— cash and labor. 

From seeing the unhappiness, discontent 
and oppression arising from vast masses of 
wealth in the hands of individuals, and the cor- 
ruption spread by it when controlled by irre- 
sponsible corporations, no doubt many worthy- 
persons think that community of property is 
desirable and feasible : for there are worthy 
persons whose minds constantly run to ex- 
tremes — there is misery consequent on drink- 
ing strong liquors, therefore there must be no 
alcohol — there is sometimes misery in marri- 
age, therefore there shall be no marriages — 
and there is misery consequent on the unequal 
distribution of property, therefore there must 
be no private accumulation of wealth. Such 
opinions may be founded on an amiable phil- 
anthropy, but certainly not on sound reason. 

But if community of property injuriously 



100 THE RACE FOR V/EALTH 

opposes a natural desire of man, the excessive 
indulgence of that desire is no less destructive 
of his welfare. A slight survey of past and 
present events will confirm this statement. 
The amassing of land by individuals and cor- 
porations was a leading cause of the great 
French Revolution ; and a similar cause is now 
rapidly spreading revolutionary principles, 
even agrarianism, throughout the British 
Kingdoms. The boundless accumulation of 
wealth by individuals through trade and com- 
merce, has also produced violent changes in 
States and governments. The commercial re- 
publics, Venice, G-enoa and Florence, afford 
striking proofs of such results. According as 
their citizens became enriched, the govern- 
ments of those States changed from democ- 
racies to plutocracies, and then to close aris- 
tocracies, until finally — after a lengthened 
course of suffering and debasement for the 
people, but perhaps of power and glory for 
their rulers — those States now form fractions 
of an unstable Kingdom. May not a similar 
series of calamitous changes occur among us % 
Free industry, trade and commerce produce 
wealth — wealth brings on assumption of power 
and oppression — oppression excites insurrec- 
tions — which may terminate in renewed free- 
dom or grinding tyranny. 
During the unrestrained pursuit of wealth. 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 101 

morals suffer no less than liberty. Gain be- 
gets greed — greed, trickery — and trickery, 
dishonesty ; then vast riches being accumula- 
ted, np spring arrogance and luxury on the 
one side — but on the other, baseness and 
subserviency, with secret or open rancor and 
discontent. All those evils, if they would not 
be wholly prevented, would be. controlled and 
modified by your suggested Limit Law. On 
all the points above noted, the fearful and 
destructive events which occurred, a few years 
ago in Paris, afford a striking lesson, and 
ought to serve as a warning to individuals and 
corporations not to form vast masses of private 
wealth : for it was mainly to procure an equal 
distribution of property that those fearful 
deeds were perpetrated. The sight of enor- 
mously disproportioned wealth, and of ex- 
travagant luxury, will ever rouse envy and 
desire — thence follow plans and plots to plun- 
der and to seize a share of the spoils. So in 
that city of mingled joyous' brightness and 
despairing gloom, millions of property were 
recklessly, needlessly destroyed — hundreds of 
harmless, innocent citizens were slaughtered 
without pity or remorse — every sentiment of 
justice or mercy was impiously outraged. 
And all those atrocious deeds 'were done for 
property — but in the name of philanthropy ! 
It may be said — there is no danger of such 



102 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

events occurring in these United States, their 
citizens are too moral and enlightened to be led 
into similar outrages against humanity and 
civilization. On the contrary, the very fact of 
the superior enlightenment of the poorer citi- 
zens of the Union, would rather hasten than 
retard an insurrection against vast accumula- 
tions of private wealth ; and would incite them 
to work for the success of their designs through 
the most threatening dangers and severest suf- 
ferings — destruction and cruelty keeping pace 
with the opposition offered. Enlightenment 
makes poor citizens more sensible of their hard 
lot in life ; it makes them see more clearly, and 
feel more bitterly the depth of the contrast be- 
tween their condition and that of the very 
rich ; and it also enables them to foresee that 
vast private and combined wealth endangers 
their liberty. Enlightenment may restrain for 
a time, but it will not root out the natural pas- 
sions and feelings — restraint will rather cause 
these to rage more violently when at last forced 
to break forth. They are not unenlightened, 
nor are they few, who would fain make us a 
nation of fraudulent debtors — who would per- 
suade us to pay with that which is of less value, 
than that which we received, and which we 
promised to return in full. On referring to the 
past, this dependence on mere enlightenment 
will be seen in all its weakness. How did it 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 103 

happen that, at no distant day, enlightenment 
' did not prevent the rising of destructive, well- 
dressed slavery mobs throughout the Union? 
The main inciting spirit of those mobs was — 
property. Should another agitation arise on 
this question (it has risen and is spreading) who 
can estimate the destruction that must ensue % 
Were the atrocities at Pittsburg much less than 
those at Paris % Is it utterly impossible that 
similar calamities should fall on New York, 
Philadelphia, or Boston? And should the 
Fifth Avenue, or Beacon, or Chestnut, or 
Broad streets be in flames from end to end, 
what in such cases would be the feelings of the 
poorer denizens of the foul and crowded tene- 
ments down town, or at the North End, or be- 
low Lombard ? Would they with all their 
enlightenment, wring their hands in grief, be- 
wailing the losses of their- rich neighbors % No, 
nothing of the kind. Their thoughts, if not 
their words, would be — "Well, their loss is our 
gain, we shall now have plenty of work at our 
own prices, and some chance of better shelter.'' 
Nor would such feelings — hard and selfish as 
they are, yet not altogether unjustifiable — be 
confined to the poorer dwellers in cities. 
Throughout the Union there are millions, not 
unenlightened, living in small, uncomfortable 
frame or log cabins, with little prospect of 
securing better homes, even that prospect be- 



104 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

coining yearly more gloomy. When the 
dwellers in such cabins behold the many-pil- 
lared mansion of the rich man shining from 
afar, amidst trim groves and lawns — or see his 
glittering equipage dashing along, and perhaps 
scattering mud or dust over a poor family 
trudging to work, do they view snch sights 
without ill-will, envy, or hatred? If they do 
so, they display a great triumph over natural 
feeling — a triumph which would very quickly 
be changed, when the crisis should come for a 
serious battle between great riches and great 
poverty. Any one associating familiarly with 
the poor, may hear in private, even from those 
obsequious in public, ' ( curses not loud but 
deep ' ' against the rich, who whether justly or 
unjustly, are blamed as the direct or indirect 
cause of the wretched lot of their poorer fellow- 
citizens. In such cases, it is vain to preach 
political economy — to insist that loss to the 
rich, by destruction of property, is eventually 
loss to the poor, which no doubt is very true. 
But it is mere folly to talk about eventualities 
to him who is oppressed by present poverty ; 
it is not yet quite common among men to look 
forward and wait for distant events — to forego 
probable comfort and enjoyment near at hand, 
for the sake of possible wealth and luxury in 
a distant day. Yet there are such men, but 
they are happily rare, for the worker for far- 






CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 105 

oft' eventualities often tnrns into that amiable 
being — a miser. 

It may be further objected against these re- 
marks, that they refer to very improbable, or 
at least to very distant, dangers for this coun- 
try — and that ' ' sufficient for the day is the evil 
thereof." If the extent of population, of un- 
occupied land, and of private wealth, with the 
thoughts, manners and customs which existed 
thirty years ago, be compared with any of 
these existing at the present day, it will be 
plain that distress, discontent and revolution 
in our communities cannot be a very doubtful, 
or distant danger : unless indeed less than half 
a century be deemed too long a period, to fore- 
see and provide for the welfare of a nation ! 
l^ow, dear Sister, I pray you not to refuse me 
the pleasure of an answer to this letter, though 
it be longer than probably you will like ; the 
result of my having adopted your suggestion 
of thinking and reading more on the subject 
than I had previously. You also may have 
gained some more notions regarding property 
and its distribution ; if so, do communicate 
them to me as additional supports to my opin- 
ions, for I have read that one of the chief 
advocates of equality of property, is renewing 
his efforts to have that doctrine established 
throughout the land ; and that he is now sup- 
ported by a numerous class of his fellow-citi- 



106 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

zens for the highest office in his native State. 
But on whatever subject you may write to me, 
be assured your letter will prove most accept- 
able to your affectionate Brother — 

GrEOKGE. 



LETTER XIV. 



My Dear Beotheb : 

I do pity you, yet I pity myself 
much more, for being so much longer deprived 
of your society : at the same time, my pity for 
both is much softened by admiration of your 
generosity, in sacrificing your own interest in 
order to help a friend in trouble or distress. 
As you have various matters to engage your 
attention, our correspondence can scarcely be 
as necessary or agreeable to you as to me, I 
therefore renew it with pleasure ; and as I have 
lately been reading a speech, about equaliza- 
tion of property, made by the celebrated phil- 
anthropist and orator of Boston to whom you 
refer, I shall now offer you some remarks on 
that speech. 

The orator in question, flinging away that 
lamp which guided the feet of another of our 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 107 

celebrated orators, would fain persuade his 
fellow- citizens to enter on dark and untried 
paths, through which they would ultimately 
plunge into the abyss of anarchy. He avows 
that the meaning of. the Labor Movement, 
which he so warmly advocated, is ' ' the 
equalization of property." Very good ! But 
in order to place such a state of society on a 
sure foundation, let us begin at the beginning 
— let us build on the bed-rock — let us require 
that henceforward all men must possess equal 
strength of body and of mind — all be equally 
industrious and saving — there must be no more 
weaklings nor Sampsons among us — no misers 
nor spendthrifts — all must be reduced to a dead 
level wilderness of unvaried, wearisome mor- 
tals. Then . we might confidently hope to 
behold the enchanting scene which the orator 
presented in the following words — "My idea 
of civilization is a very high one, but the 
approach to it is a New England town of some 
two thousand inhabitants, with no rich man 
and no poor man in it, all* connected, all 
mingling in the same society, every child 
meeting at the same school, no poor-house, no 
beggar, every house about on an equality, 
opportunities equal, nobody too proud to stand 
aloof, nobody too humble to be shut out. 
That' s the highest idea civilization has reached 
yet." And a most charming picture it is, Mr. 



108 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

Orator : to be perfect, it only requires that yon 
should have sketched yourself into the scene, 
engaged in emptying your own, cess-pool, or 
sweeping out your cattle-yard, or spread- 
ing the sweepings over your pumpkin patch, 
so that your pies might surpass those of all 
others in creation. Nothing like bringing 
schemes to a practical test — proving generali- 
ties by particulars — by such a process how 
quickly is absurdity strip t of its borrowed 
garb of wisdom. To realize this orator' s ideal, 
we must trample out some of the strongest 
passions and feelings of the human breast ; to 
do that is the essence of tyranny, so that the 
orator advocated, perhaps unwittingly, the 
cause of tyranny. The picture however is not 
wholly ideal, for of it the orator said — "That's 
]STew England as it was fifty years ago." But 
the orator somewhat contradicted himself by 
another picture, presented in a preceding part 
of his speech, in the following words — "Long 
after 1801, the Hve points of Massachusetts' 
decency were, to trace your family back to the 
Mayllower, to graduate at Harvard College, be 
a doctor, or a lawyer, or a member of an 
orthodox church, pay your debts, and frighten 
your children to sleep by crying Thomas 
Jeiferson. Our fathers talked equality, but 
they could not swallow it." 

In these two pictures, it may be fairly said, 






CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 109 

the Orator has effected miracles — the one is all 
shadow — the other all sunshine — such deeds 
could be performed by no common genius. 
Common artists only attempt to immitate na- 
ture by a judicious mingling of light and 
shade ; so the common-sense legislator in his 
laws, paying regard to the nature of man, 
allows of a judicious mixture of inequalities 
in property. It will be observed that the time 
and place of these contradictory pictures are 
coincident — both existing some fifty years ago, 
and both in Massachusetts. In further sup- 
port of his views, the Orator proceeded to ask 
a certain " Mr. Critic," — " Are you quite cer- 
tain, are you absolutely certain, that the land 
system of Massachusetts, which allows a single 
family to gather into its lap the whole increase, 
is better than the land system of Japan, 
which, at each death, hands back the im- 
proved land to the State, and lets the whole 
community, which garners its wealth into that 
State, share the result?" "The ichole in- 
crease ! " How full of mistake or misrepre- 
sentation is that word whole in that place ! 
Of course then "the single family" provides 
no stock, nor machinery, nor utensils, nor 
pays any wages ; the former spring up as 
plentiful as weeds, while the laborers work 
only for their own amusement and the family's 
profit ! 



110 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

The Orator then gave an instance of a lot of 
land in Boston,- which being worth only a 
chest of tea in 1797, was sold lately for forty 
thonsand dollars ($40,000); and asserted that 
' ' the labor, the skill, the intellect, the toiling 
hands of 240,000 men made it worth 40,000 
dollars." And according to his dictum, that 
sum should have been equally divided among 
the toilers ; which would have yielded the 
dazzling result of 16 2-3 cents per man ! 
Should the principle of equal division be en- 
forced throughout the whole country, the re- 
sults would be about equally magnificent. 
Then we might see longer faces than ever ap- 
peared at the drawing of blanks from a 
lottery. The Orator further asked — "Are you 
quite sure that the land system by which that 
man puts 840, 000 into his own pocket is just 
as righteous as the system of Japan, which 
would have divided it among the citizens of 
Boston? Well, I am not." Are the people 
of Japan then better off, than the citizens 
of Massachusetts ? Does every individual in 
" That happier island in the watery waste," 
feast daily on boned turkey and champagne- 
dress in broadcloth and velvet — and dwell in 
a palace \ If such be the joyous lot of the 
Japanese, what a deceitful, misleading set are 
our travellers and painters, who represent the 
mass of those people in a condition that might 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. Ill 

move the pity and indignation, even of the 
unfortunate denizens of the shims of Boston. 

Against that most dangerous power of capi- 
tal — its combination in corporations — the Ora- 
tor suggested as a means of defense, a system 
of taxation rapidly increasing with the in- 
crease of capital. But multitudes of the 
holders of shares in corporations, are persons 
in very moderate circumstances — widows, chil- 
dren, and the aged — so that taxing corpora- 
tions heavily would be taxing the poor. The 
difficulty in the case is very great, but if not 
overcome, the dangerous power might be miti- 
gated by the suggested Limit Law: which 
should declare that dividends should not 
exceed a certain percentage, and that all fur- 
ther profits should be applied for the benefit 
of all the people of the State. 

In further support of his views, the Orator 
related a story about a poor workman in Eng- 
land, who by an accidental discovery removed 
a great obstruction to his work in a cotton 
mill; and who, by disclosing his secret, saved 
the first Sir Robert Peel from ruin; but whose 
reward was only a quart of beer a day, and 
ten dollars a week while he lived. The Orator 
then complains of the inadequacy of the re- 
ward given to the workman ; but he forgot that 
if the condition of things, equality of prop- 
erty, which he so eloquently advocates, had 



112 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

then existed in England, Sir Robert would 
have had neither the right nor the power to 
give even that small recompense, nor could 
the workman have obtained as much as he did; 
for logically the product of brain labor must 
be equally distributed, as well as that of hand 
labor. In further remarks on this story, the 
Orator presented a dazzling picture of pro- 
gress, but which forms another contradiction 
of his scheme of equal property. He said — 
' £ ISTow, Gentlemen, Labor Reform means to in- 
troduce a civilization which would have made 
Sir Robert Peel behave thus. He would have 
said — 'Dick, you have got a secret which is 
worth one-tenth part of my fortune. I' 11 take 
you in as a partner. You shall have one-tenth, 
and the business and the capital I bring shall be 
the other nine-tenths. ' What would have been 
the result V ' In reply to his own question, the 
Orator shows that Dick would have been eleva- 
ted to the ranks of the nobles, and would have 
left his family worth a couple of millions of dol- 
lars. Such a result would certainly be somewhat 
contrary to the principle of equal property ; 
to a common mind it appears there would have 
been only an addition to the number of — 
bloated capitalists ! 

On the success of his plan to equalize prop- 
erty, the Orator's own ample property, as well 
as that of all others, would of course be chopped 









CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 113 

into chunks ; there can be no doubt then of 
his sincerity and disinterestedness on this sub- 
ject ; unless indeed he had in his mind that 
heartless saying of a profligate monarch — 
" After us, the deluge." 

If the Orator in question would exert his 
undoubtedly great power, to produce results 
accordant with the nature of man, and there- 
fore likely to be effective, he would secure for 
himself a still higher place than he now justly 
holds in the minds of men. 

After all, this proposed system of commu- 
nity or equality of property, is so plainly con- 
trary to the natural feelings and desires of 
man, that to reason against that system is 
nearly as needless and absurd, as to insist 
strenuously on the self-evident, dazzling fact 
that the Sun is the source of light. 

In regard to the suggested Limit Law, I may 
here observe that evasions of it could be pre- 
vented, among other means, by excluding from 
inheriting property, all persons in good circum- 
stances ; and by annulling certain transfers of 
property, made within a specified time before 
death. That law must necessarily be general 
over the whole of this Union ; there is no dan- 
ger of capital quitting the United States ; at 
least, not for a period more distant than most 
statesmen deem it necessary to provide. But 
now, if I have given you any pleasure by this 



114 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

letter, reward me for it by a speedy answer to 
your affectionate Sister 

Marian. 



LETTER XY. 



Bear Sister: 

This letter I fear will prove but a 
poor reward for your agreeable one ; still, re- 
lying on your affection, I will venture to send 
it. During the heated Race for Wealth, there 
are often, as you know, violent, bitter disputes 
breaking out between capital and labor, be- 
tween the employer and the workman, who are 
thence spoken of as if they were natural en- 
emies — as if they were beings of different 
species — as if they did not frequently change 
places, the rich falling into poverty, and the 
poor rising into wealth. Both work for the 
same ends, and while doing so, they certainly 
do, too often, act like mutual enemies, to their 
mutual injury ; whereas, by arbitration or 
otherwise, they might act as friends, to their 
mutual benefit : each endeavors to secure for 
itself as much as it can, often more than it 
ought, of the products of their united labors. 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 115 

Capital seeks its aim, by lowering wages, and 
by lengthening working time — labor, by raising 
wages and shortening its time. That Capital 
sometimes unfairly succeeds by this course, is 
proved by the fact that immense fortunes are 
sometimes made too rapidly to be just or hon- 
est ; but that it often fails, is proved by the 
very moderate success of the vast majority of 
business men, and by the numerous failures in 
business. 

That labor is often crowned with brilliant 
success, is proved by the immense deposits that 
workmen and workwomen have placed in Sav- 
ings Banks ; and by great numbers who have 
raised themselves from the rank of laborers to 
that of employers ; but that labor too often 
fails to secure fair returns for its toils, is proved 
by the widespread and spreading decline of 
comfort and content among the people. Here 
it may be proper to notice some erroneous no • 
tions regarding deposits in Savings Banks. 
Aware of the immense amount of those de- 
posits, some persons ask — why workmen do 
not combine their savings and thus become em- 
ployers? This is a glaring specimen of 
thoughtless questions. Those depositors ex- 
pect to be paid interest, which assuredly could 
not be obtained if the Banks kept those funds 
constantly locked up in strong boxes. To ob- 
tain the required interest ; the deposits must 



116 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

he lent out, and are then used by the borrower 
in employing labor in various ways. Should 
a body of workmen then withdraw their de- 
posits, to establish a business, they would 
probably throw fellow- workmen out of work, 
by stopping the business which had been car- 
ried on by these very deposits. And should 
the new business fail, the workers would 
lose their all ; whereas should a borrow- 
er fail, the deposits are saved for the deposi- 
tors, by the security given by the borrower. 
Hence it is plain that an attempt to with- 
draw at once the deposits from all Savings 
Banks, would cause a money and business con- 
vulsion more ruinous than any jet experienced; 
and which would plunge depositors and borrow- 
ers — workmen and employers alike — into one 
common ruin. All the foregoing about Savings 
Banks is no doubt already well known to you ? 
dear Sister ; but it may not be known to some 
of your friends or acquaintances, to whom you 
may wish to read it, therefore, though trite, its 
repetition may be useful. 

In connection with this question of property 
and its source — labor. I hope you will not take 
it amiss, if I say a few words about woman's 
rights in the matter. From the speeches and 
writings of the advocates for the free admis- 
sion of woman, into all professions and em- 
ployments, it might be supposed that when 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 117 

that should take place, distress and misery 
must vanish from the land. Such a state of 
things should be heartily desired by all, but 
sad experience forbids us to hope for it. In 
all the professions and occupations followed 
by men, there are multitudes who with diffi- 
culty procure a scanty subsistence ; while in 
all, there are many also who are driven by 
want to practice trickery and mean shifts, yefc 
who can scarcely keep themselves from starving. 
Are there not many real or professed lawyers, 
doctors and preachers, many clerks and me- 
chanics in this unhapx3y condition % Do not 
the public journals frequently complain of over- 
crowding in all these occupations, and of the 
consequent crime and distress % It is said in- 
deed that two lawyers may flourish where one 
alone would starve, but such a result is pos- 
sible only in that profession, in all others, for 
each individual — the more there are, the worse. 
In such circumstances, society acts towards 
claiments for support, as did the Spanish noble 
mentioned in Gil Bias, who having increased 
his retinue, his steward reduced their rations. 
The servants coming to their master in a crowd, 
complained that the steward gave them nothing 
to eat but — bread and onions ! " What, cried 
the noble, does he give you bread and onions 
every day?" " He does indeed, your Excel- 
lency." "Then bring him here instantly." 



118 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

On the steward's- acknowledging the truth of 
the complaint, His Excellency cried ont in a 
rage — " You villain, do you want to ruin me 
by such extravagance X Henceforth, give only 
bread on one day, and onions on the next, and 
so on, day about, or else I'll — Begone !" Here 
probably we shall never be reduced to such 
lean, lenten fare ; we shall, at the worst, lux- 
uriate on hog or hominy, and possibly, on 
Sundays, both may smoke upon the board. 
Now, in all professions and employments will 
not doubling the workers, halve the pay and 
the comforts % 

By all means, let woman have every facility 
for engaging in any profession or occupation 
she may choose ; let her have free and fair op- 
portunities for lessening her own and man's 
burdens on earth ; but let neither her, nor her 
advocates, entertain the false, deluding hope, 
nor insinuate it among the public, that when 
she shall have free entrance to, and full accept- 
ance in, all employments, then there shall be 
no more want — that thenceforward distress, 
and grief, and woe, shall vanish from the 
earth. 

I take so much pleasure in communicating 
with you, dear Sister, that I will venture to 
offer a few more remarks about the rich and 
the poor respectively ; and which may have 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 119 

some good influence npon those engaged in an 
eager Kace for Wealth. 

The rich are often severely blamed, for their 
tenacity in holding on to their wealth ; though 
in this they but act like all others— that is, 
they hold fast to the mainstay of their credit 
and respect among their fellow-citizens. Simi- 
lar tenacity is found among those supposed to 
be above all mere worldly views. 

Plagiarize an image of fancy, an idea, or a 
verse, from an author, or artist, and he will 
raise an outcry as loud as that of a miser, 
when plundered of a bag of gold. 

Some also hold fast to their wealth merely 
from not knowing or seeing how they can dis- 
pose of it properly and safely. Undoubtedly 
there are rich men who would gladly disen- 
cumber themselves of all wealth, excepting 
only that amount needed for moderate personal 
wants, if they could be assured it would not 
be foolishly squandered when out of their con- 
trol : and it must be confessed, that the ill use 
of endowments and donations in this and other 
countries, but too fully justifies the caution 
and tenacity of the rich — a caution often un- 
fairly blamed as avarice. 

The rich, having the means of indulging to 
excess the passions and feelings common to 
all, must exert the greatest force of will to 
resist temptation ; and for so far, their resist- 



120 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

ance is the more meritorious — and still more, 
from their having unfairly but little to fear 
from human laws. But then again, the rich 
are too much accustomed to assume great 
merit to themselves for acts of charity, or alms 
giving ; forgetting that by such acts, they 
ward off from themselves, not only great an- 
noyances, but even great dangers. If those 
charities were stopped, and all the recipients 
cast uncared for upon the world, where would 
be the comfort or safety of the rich \ Again, 
the rich should not forget, that heavy taxes on 
wealth form one method of redistribution of 
property, and thus of warding off revolution ; 
and that therefore taxation should be borne 
with a considerable degree of equanimity — 
especially if the proceeds be honestly and skil- 
fully redistributed for the public welfare. 
You know that the nobles and other rich 
classes in France were wholly exempt from 
taxation, which blindly selfish system accel- 
erated, there not unhappily, the revolution. 
In any country having a few enormously rich, 
and vast multitudes who can scarcely keep the 
wolf of want from their doors, the day may 
suddenly come, when the cry of the latter may 
be that of the highwayman — " your money or 
your life ! ' ' 

Political or monetary disturbances, not very 
rare among us, or a severe and protracted 









CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 121 

winter, or two or three bad harvests in succes- 
sion, would too surely bring on such a disas- 
ter. The approach of insurrection is here 
hastened, by the rapidly increasing desire of 
the people to congregate into towns and cities ; 
where the contrasts between riches and pov- 
erty, are brought more frequently and glaringly 
into sight ; and where opportunities and means 
of attack and destruction can be so readily 
found and combined. It were well then that 
there should be less gloss and glitter about 
equipages, and fewer bedizened lackeys seen 
in the streets. No doubt many among the 
rich are conscious of such danger, and wisely 
endeavor to delay its approach, by moderation 
towards themselves, and liberality towards the 
public. But there are swarms of selfish, heed- 
less butterflies of society, that will persist in 
displaying their gaudy splendors, even at the 
risk of irritating and drawing on their destroy- 
ers. What is required then from all good 
citizens is moderation — moderation in the Race 
for Wealth — moderation in the amount desired 
— and moderation in its expenditure. 

As to the poor, they are fully aware that a 
state of society in which no one shall be obliged 
to work, can never exist on earth, however 
much they may long for it ; and that as some 
are stronger, or more sharp-witted, or knavish, 
than others, so some will be richer than others. 



122 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

They are not discontented with these natural 
conditions, bnt with the artificial ones through 
which their work so seldom produces even 
moderate wealth for them. They know that 
the most the vast majority of men can hope 
for here below, is, to secure so much property 
that they will not be living, as it were, from 
hand to mouth — that they will not be in fear 
that gaunt hunger is ever ready to rush in at 
their doors — that they shall not be so bound 
down, that they must yield their every waking 
thought to supply their mere bodily wants, 
leaving not a moment of leisure to bestow on 
the wants of the mind and soul. In demand- 
ing a more free and ready way to secure such 
a condition, the poor but ask for that which is 
the right of all men. It is but just, charitable 
and politic that none should be unfairly ex- 
cluded or pushed from the path of profit, by 
capital amassed by individuals, or combined 
by corporations. The poor may reasonably 
expect, that when a man has made a comfort- 
able fortune, he should withdraw from active 
operations, thus giving others a better chance 
of attaining similar comfort. The patience of 
the poor in their troubles and sufferings, and 
their readiness to make sacrifices for the gen- 
eral good, place them on a level, or rather 
above, the richest of their fellow-men — and 
proves that they possess a full share of those 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER, 123 

qualities that most dignify man. In fact, if a 
man living in comfort would but consider the 
cold, the hunger, the weariness, and what pain 
and misery, the poor in general must suffer, 
instead of being shocked that so much, he must 
be surprised that so little, discontent and crime 
exist in the world. On the other hand, the 
poor but too often rankle with envy and ground- 
less hate against the rich ; and often make the 
mistake of thinking that poverty of itself is a 
merit and riches a crime ; and under that mis- 
take they will quote with great unction this 
text of Scripture — "It is easier for a camel to 
go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich 
man to enter the Kingdom of God." They 
should know, that the text blames the rich not 
because they possess riches, but for loving 
them too much, or for making a bad use of 
them ; and that there are rich men who cannot 
be charged with either of these faults. It has 
been observed that a poor man becoming sud- 
denly enriched, falls more readily into excesses 
and vices than those who have been accustomed 
to wealth. This fact has been embodied in the 
saying — " Set a beggar on horseback and he'll 
ride to destruction. ' ' The poor may then quote 
the above noted text with thankful satisfac- 
tion, not for its bearing against the rich, but 
because they themselves are not "led into 
temptation." Rich and poor are alike blam- 



124 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

able when they yield to the evil temptations of 
their respective conditions. 

But I shall now conclude with quoting part 
of an essay by Lord Bacon, who certainly was 
not a chawer of his namesake. This quota- 
tion will save you the trouble of rummaging 
among your books ; but at the same time I 
fear its condensed wisdom will disgust you 
with my slip-slop ; however I rely on your 
affection, and your friends perhaps may relish 
my light as well as his substantial fare. 



'•'I cannot call riches better than the bag- 
gage of virtue ; the Roman word is better — 
' impedimenta, ' for as baggage is to an army, 
so is riches to virtue ; it cannot be spared nor 
left behind, but it hindereth the march" 

" Of great riches there is no real 

use, except it be in the distribution, the rest 
is but conceit. The personal fruition in any 
man cannot reach to feel great riches ; there is 
a custody of them ; or a power of dole and 
donation of them ; but no solid use to the 
owner." .... "Men leave their riches 
either to their kindred or to the public ; and 
moderate portions prosper best in both. A 
great estate left to an heir, is as a lure to 
all the birds of prey round about to seize 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 125 

on him, if he be not the better established in 
years and judgment : likewise glorious gifts 
and foundations are like sacrifices without 
salt ; and but the painted sepulchres of alms, 
which will soon putrif y and corrupt inwardly : 
therefore measure not thine advancement by 
quantity, but frame them by measure ; and 
defer not charities till death ; for, certainly if 
a man weigh it rightly, he that doth so, is 
rather liberal of another man's than of his 
own." 

Hoping, dear Sister, that you will soon 
gratify me with an answer, I renew the assur- 
ance of my affection. 

Geoege. 



LETTER XVI. 

Deae Beothee : 

Your last letter has given me 
much satisfaction, as the opinions you expressed 
in it, accord nearly with my own. I shall now 
offer you some remarks on— Marriage, as it takes 
no small part in the Race for Wealth : indeed, 
I regret to have to say that not a few of my 
sex so far forget jproper feeling, as to enter on 



126 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

that Race on the plea that their prospects 
have been ruined, their hearts broken, by 
broken promises of marriage. Now do not 
cast the jeer or gibe at me, that it is just like 
my sex to be meditating on this subject ; for 
though I have no prudish, objections against it, 
yet I am far from deeming marriage absolutely 
essential to my happiness. And perhaps if 
your sex too would give proper thought to 
their duties and responsibilities in marriage, 
there would be many fewer bickerings and 
suits about property. 

But now returning to the point, you know 
that about 1900 years before the birth of 
Christ, God proved the deep interest he felt in 
guarding and maintaining the sanctity and 
strictness of marriages by protecting Abraham 
and Sarah against the designs of Abimelech, 
as related in Genesis. At present, not only 
are marriage vows slighted, and divorces en- 
couraged, but there are persons who even ad- 
vocate the total suppression of marriage ! 
Now, should that engagement be less binding 
in our days, than in ancient times? Is the 
strict observance of the marriage tie now less 
necessary, for securing the happiness of home 
and the welfare of society \ Should we repu- 
diate, or even weaken, the subsequent teach- 
ings of Christ Himself, thus recorded in Mat- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 127 

tliew — " What, therefore, God has joined to- 
gether, let not man put asunder." 

The following remarks may perhaps help 
yon and your friends, to form precise answers 
to these questions. 

If we should consider marriage to have been 
instituted merely to regulate the physical 
desires of individuals, and not also for their 
moral welfare, and that of society — then might 
that engagement be lightly formed and readily 
dissolved. But as God alone subsists by 
himself, as all created persons subsist by 
mutual dependence — as human society itself, 
even in its simplest or wildest state, can be 
maintained only by this dependence of each 
individual on others — then mutual dependence 
should not be weakened in that quarter, in 
which experience has proved it to be most 
effective for securing much happiness to indi- 
viduals, and great benefits to society. The 
experience of nations has proved that the 
results have been good, when the tie of mar- 
riage has been enforced with due strictness-- 
strictness has produced morality and happi- 
ness — slackness, misery, and immorality. 
Strictness in this matter is more necessary than 
ever, now that population has become so dense, 
and social intercourse so free ; as in these cir- 
cumstances, moral restraints become weaker, 
when they should be stronger ; for unfortunate- 



128 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

]y, moral disorders, like physical ones, are most 
rapidly propagated among crowds. In view 
of such experience, why, in these times of 
boasted enlightenment, are marriages so often 
unhappy, and so frequently dissolved by those 
who willingly, perhaps joyfully, engaged in 
the mutual obligation \ These painful results 
are mostly owing to the facts that both the 
contract and its dissolution are too often foun- 
ded on wrong motives, or on uncontrolled 
Impulses. It may be safely asserted, that 
marriages contracted in early youth, plainly 
indicate merely an excess of animal instinct ; 
while their prompt dissolution but too surely 
indicates moral perversity, or intellectual 
weakness, in one or both of the parties. 

Fine phrases — such as refinement, delicate 
feelings, and so forth — may serve to gloss 
over, but they cannot correct those failings. 
For that purpose, the instinct must be con- 
trolled, and the weakness guided by better 
teachings and examples than those now too 
generally prevailing. In all Christian coun- 
tries indeed, restraints more or less strict, are 
imposed both on the contracting and dissolving 
of marriages. But in this matter, as in all 
general affairs, great difficulty exists in finding 
a just and satisfactory balance between private 
and public rights — in discovering what degree 
of restraint will contribute most largely to in- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 129 

dividual happiness, and at the same time, 
most widely to general welfare. Very rigid 
restrictions on the forming of marriages may- 
lead to the spreading of illegal, immoral con- 
nections ; such as result from the restrictive 
laws in some part of Germany ; while slight- 
ness of restriction, as in the United States, 
leads to marriages rashly contracted, and rap- 
idly dissolved. Both systems, the strict and 
the slack, when carried to excess, thus un- 
happily leading to debasement of morals. But 
as it is better that, occasionally, individuals 
should feel some of the discomforts insepara- 
ble from all human conditions, than that so- 
ciety should become corrupt, so it were better 
that strictness, rather than slackness, should 
prevail in the laws for forming and maintain- 
ing contracts of marriage. 

The disregard, the contempt even, into which 
the marriage engagement is falling, mainly 
through unregulated impulses, may be further 
attributed to the fact that marriage is very 
generally considered solely as a civil contract, 
neither enforced nor elevated by religious 
obligations. When religion does ostensibly 
take a part in marriage ceremonies, these often 
serve merely as means for the bride and groom 
to gratify their ostentation and vanity ; for 
milliners and jewelers to advertise their gaudy 
wares. On many such occasions, the church 



130 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

is turned, as it were into a theatre, where the 
principals, with the minister and the assistants, 
constitute the actors for an amused or mocking 
audience. What elevating impressions must 
such scenes make on both actors and audience ! 
Even when humble couples go before a clergy- 
man, to be married in private, they do so 
merely to comply with a human law ; and the 
minister rarely, if ever, takes the trouble to 
impress on their minds the deep seriousness of 
the engagement. Now, if even the civil cere- 
mony of marriage were performed with- due 
decency and decorum, the mutual engagement 
would probably be regarded, not as at present, 
but as it should be, as one of the most binding 
and sacred of human obligations. But when 
the 'Squire goes on with the ceremony in a 
careless or profane manner, which is too often 
the case ; or when it is accompanied by ridicu- 
lous incidents, as sometimes happens, then the 
whole affair can scarcely fail to be regarded by 
both principals and spectators as little better 
than a farce. This deplorable opinion is en- 
couraged, unwittingly perhaps, and widely 
spread by some journals and magazines. In 
the pages of such, every ridiculous incident 
that may happen at a marriage ceremony, any 
where throughout the country, is sure to be 
reported with heightened colors, so as to make 
the ridiculous points as glaring as possible. 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 181 

When their numerous readers see such descrip- 
tions, they will say — "Oh! if the wise pro- 
fessor who writes the profound articles in this 
journal — or if the pure moral author of the 
heart-moving tales in this magazine — if those 
persons can give, in the next column or page, 
an account of a marriage in that tone, flinging 
gibes at it, and treating it as a mere joke, why 
then it must be all a joke, and as such we also 
will treat it." 

Thus even conscientious conductors of the 
Press, may inadvertently make it an instrument 
for demoralizing the people. On this point it 
may be well to recall that maxim of a sharp, 
skilful observer of human nature — "Ridicule 
is the test of truth." Whether this maxim be 
sound or not, it is certain that many persons 
cannot or will not separate the ridiculous from 
the serious in what they read : how cautious 
then should writers be in mixing the one with 
the other, in a matter that so deeply affects the 
welfare of individuals and of the country. A 
citizen desirous of guarding the morals of his 
country, can in no way better effect that object, 
than by elevating opinions concerning mar- 
riage, and enforcing its stability : the following 
suggestions may perhaps help to forward these 
aims. Experience has proved that to be fully 
effective, laws must be sustained by a convic- 
tion of their necessity and utility. Hence the 



132 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

need of impressing on the mind of those mar- 
ried, or who intend to many, the mutual and 
relative duties of that state — that to fulfil these 
faithfully produces a condition the fullest of 
content and happiness of any on earth. It 
would be at least as useful as giving lessons in 
style and etiquette, to teach the young that 
marriage was not instituted to be put on or off, 
on the spur of ill-temper or caprice, as a neck- 
lace or fancy cravat — that a partner for life 
should not be accepted as lightly as a partner 
for a ball. Existing conditions in society 
should be adduced to show that, however hap- 
pily couples might be matched, marriage is not 
a state of perpetual enjoyment — that in it, as 
in all earthly conditions, there is a mixture of 
ease and pain, of happiness and trouble ; and 
that it depends on the couple themselves, which 
ingredient shall predominate in their union. 
These remarks may be trite, but they, or rela- 
tive ones, should be repeated and taught as 
persistently as religious truths. It may be ob- 
jected that such lessons would deprive marriage 
of all its romance, lowering it to the level of 
mere business. Such might be the result, if, 
at the same time, the idea of marriage were not 
raised from the level of passion to that of prin- 
ciple, by showing that the vows then made, 
include not only temporal duties due to par- 
ticular persons, but also duties due to God and 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 133 

society. To enforce such lessons, passing 
events could be adduced to prove that when 
these mutual and relative duties have not been 
fulfilled ; or when married persons have de- 
serted, or changed, their partners, increased 
unhappiness is the consequence ; that a change 
often or always but continues the real or fan- 
cied discomfort and misery — that it is, in com- 
mon words, "no better than a fall from the 
frying-pan into the fire." Such teachings and 
exemplifications are pressingly necessary, for 
opinions on marriage are now spreading 
through society that plainly foreshadow moral 
decline, demanding instant opposition from all 
who wish to guard the State from social cor- 
ruption. 

ISTow, what arrangements in social life, do 
the opponents of the institution of marriage 
suggest should take its place ? There can be 
but these two — concubinage — or promiscuous 
intercourse, as among beasts ! A frequent 
change of partners, even though glossed over 
by pseudo marriage rites, would be no better 
than the former ; while the latter, with all its 
degrading horrors, is seen in the so called 
social evil. These opponents of marriage (as 
constituted from the beginning, and as ap- 
proved and adopted by the wise and good) by 
talking of congeniality of soul (bless the mark!) 
— of the fine feeling of the heart, with other 



134 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

stock phrases of sentimentalisui, endeavor to 
spread the opinion that they are far above 
their neighbors, in all the traits that elevate 
man above the beast : whereas in reality these 
sentimentalists are often the most selfish and 
sensual of mortals, never willing to restrain 
their gusts of passion, or to bear the slightest 
inconvenience for the sake of society. 

By a little self-examination, these opponents 
of marriage would discover that their supposed 
soul-yearnings are merely the movements of an 
inflamed imagination, or of bustling vanity ; 
and their gushing heart-feelings only the out- 
breaks of their heated blood. There are 
psychological as well as physical quacks ; 
the former mistake the movements that may 
agitate the mind and feelings, and are ignor- 
ant of the proper remedies, as frequently as 
the latter mistake the diseases of the body 
and the medicines to be administered. Against 
such wicked, or vain, or thoughtless, assailants 
of the family and the home, there should be 
constant opposition, not only through sermons 
in churches and lectures in public halls, but 
also by the labors of special societies. Such a 
course is not less, nay is even more necessary 
in this cause than in that of Temperance ; in- 
asmuch as it is more necessary to preserve the 
vital guard of civilized states, than to correct 
their mere temporary and local disorders. 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 135 

But in tMs case, as in too many others, the 
agents of evil are more active, more daring, 
and more persistent than the agents of good. 
Great numbers of persons of both sexes de- 
claim, and write, and agitate against marriage, 
because it is not altogether a heavenly condi- 
tion, nor made to suit their divine tempera- 
ments. But none, or few, are seen taking 
similar efforts to represent the benefits of 
marriage to individuals, and how essential 
it is for preserving civilization. It is too 
readily taken for granted, that the advan- 
tages of the institution of marriage are so 
evident, that its slight disadvantages can never 
cause its rejection. Such confidence would be 
just, if even groundless outcries, provided they 
be loud, bold and persistent, did not so often 
cause widespread evil. It is unnecessary to 
adduce special cases, or statistical tables, to 
show that marriage and its duties, being con- 
stantly attacked, are falling into disregard and 
contempt ; daily publications and the records 
of divorces in courts of law, but too strongly 
prove the deplorable fact. 

Thus by frequent and full repetitions of the 
fact that marriage, while greatly promoting the 
happiness of indi vidua] s, is also essential for 
the very existence of civilized society, that in- 
stitution would recover its due elevation in 
public opinion, and would be considered as 



136 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

a union destined to be severed only by 
death. 

The gravity of the subject will justify me in 
asking your attention for a few other sugges- 
tions on the point. 

A sense of religion being the most binding 
influence over mankind, its solemn aid would 
prove most effective for securing due estima- 
tion for the marriage vows : but a strong feel- 
ing exists against any legalized union between 
the State and the observances of religion. The 
State indeed requires that the sanctions of re- 
ligion, in the form of an oath, should enforce 
the observance of truth, even in the most trilling 
matters in our law courts, and in revenue offices. 
Why then might not the State not merely per- 
mit, but require, that religion should take a 
part in the most solemn contract formed be- 
tween individuals on this earth % However, as 
the objection exists, and as it is partly well 
founded, it may be fairly sustained. But then 
if the State will not unite with religion in this 
cause, it is the more bound to exert its civil 
powers to the utmost, in order to guard and 
sustain an institution recognized to be essen- 
tial, not only for its welfare, but even for its 
existence. Destroy, or even weaken, the bind- 
ing force of marriage, and you destroy the 
family tie, and thence the State. 

Engaged for this vital duty, what has the 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 137 

State done to render marriage a serious, honor- 
able and lasting contract in the opinion of the 
people % What ceremonies does it require to be 
observed in order to make the contract solemn 
and binding % 

These — 1. The candidates for marriage must 
go before a Justice, and obtain a certificate 
from him, after he has carelessly mumbled 
over some words about their intentions — or 2. 
The parties must go through a similar routine 
before a clergyman — or 3. Without any cere- 
mony, they must live together openly as hus- 
band and wife — or 4. If a company of young 
persons assemble to amuse themselves with 
games and plays ; and if, when tired of others, 
they make a play of the forms of marriage, 
performing the ceremonies perhaps more de- 
corously than the Squire or the Minister, be- 
hold, in the eyes of the State, they are hus- 
bands and wives ! 

After such careless forms, or burlesques, it 
cannot be surprising that marriage is often 
considered a mere play, without duties or re- 
sponsibilities ; and that it is readily cast off, if 
it interfere with idle pastimes, or if it obstruct 
the indulgence of hot passions, or the advance- 
ment of any worldly interest. 

In another point of this matter, the State, as 
representing and acting for the people, must be 
condemned for criminal neglect. Laws have 



138 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

been enacted against persons living in fornica- 
tion or in adultery, yet the State quietly sees 
whole communities banded together for the 
constant committing of these crimes, in litter 
contempt of the law. In proof of this charge, 
it is only needed to point at Utah and Oneida. 
At such spectacles even the serious may be- 
come infected with carelessness for the laws 
and duties of marriage, while general society 
will utterly disregard and despise them. 

What then, you may ask, can the State do, 
to elevate public opinion regarding marriage, 
and to enforce that contract ? It ought to exe- 
cute the laws already made, and enact such 
new ones as may help to secure the desired re- 
sults. In making laws bearing on this matter, 
it were well to remember that it is a principle 
of the mind to become restless under a condi- 
tion that may be changed at will, but that it 
can also readily accommodate itself to the in- 
evitable. This principle is recognized in this 
aphorism — ' 'what cannot be cured, is endured. ' ' 
Let the civil laws on marriage then contain 
more of the inevitable, and the contract will 
produce more content, and fewer attempts will 
be made to break it by divorces. Kot that said 
saying is more applicable to marriage than to 
any other condition of human life, all being 
liable to. pain and trouble. Besides, marriage 
has this advantage, that it depends on the part- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 139 

ners themselves whether, in that state, the joys 
shall or sha.ll not be doubled, and the griefs 
halved. If from the want of a common feeling 
or interest in any pursuit or object, a husband 
and wife cannot consort in love and harmony, 
they may at least secure mutual respect and 
regard, by taking a warmer interest in their 
respective duties towards their family, their 
neighbors, and mankind. 

There are other principles of the mind that 
might be addressed, in order to promote due 
consideration for marriage. For instance, in 
the minds of many persons, cost however slight, 
and forms however simple, help to render acts 
respectable and impressive : taking off the hat 
in courts of law, and holding up the hand on 
taking an oath, may be given as examples on 
the last point. 

The civil power then should require that 
public cost and forms should make a part of 
every celebration of marriage. These princi- 
ples could be readily applied to that form 
already in use — viz., the marriage certificate. 
Let the law require 

1. That the marriage certificate should have 
printed on it, an abstract of the obligations 
those intending to marry undertake to fulfill 
towards each other — towards their children— 
and towards the State. 



140 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

2. That on said certificate there should be a 
government stamp. 

3. That every Justice or Minister who might 
celebrate a marriage, shonld sign with his 
name, and deliver to each person married, one 
of the above specified printed certificates, with 
the blanks filled np with the names of snch 
married persons. 

4. That every Justice or Minister should 
register in a special book the particulars of 
every marriage performed by him ; for doing 
which he could charge, say, fifty cents, which 
snm with the two stamped certificates in each 
case, would make the whole legal expense of a 
marriage amount to one dollar : the voluntary 
expenses being left to the option of the parties 
married. 

5. It should be required of every Justice or 
Minister that he should read over carefully to 
all a|3plying to be married, the abstract of the 
duties and obligations of marriage printed on 
the certificate. 

From the principles stated it might be con- 
fidently hoped that those costs and forms, 
though slight, would help considerably to 
secure for marriage its due degree of respect 
and stability. 

Whether the central government, or that of 
each State, should take charge of the improve- 
ment and enforcement of marriage laws, is a 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 141 

question that may be left to the consideration 
of legislatures. This however may be affirmed 
— that uniformity in proceedings, as it implies 
uniformity of principle and so stability, at- 
tracts and maintains respect ; the laws regard- 
ing marriage should then be uniform through- 
out the Union. 

Now, dear Brother, you perceive that I have 
suggested no extraordinary methods ; nor can 
extraordinary results be expected from them ; 
for as a human condition, marriage can never 
be wholly free from man' s failings, nor, I will 
say, from the failings of my sex : after this 
impartial concession, you surely cannot insin- 
uate, as in a former letter, that I am fighting 
battles for women, not for all mankind. But 
though these regulations may not render mar- 
riages as happy as we would wish, yet these, 
or similar observances would help to restore 
respect to the compact, and thus arresting the 
deterioration of society, keep it in a condition 
at least not deeply painful, to all who desire 
that pure morals and manners should be the 
pre-eminent characteristics of our people. 
We may fairly indeed boast of more wide- 
spread enlightenment — of purer morals — and 
of greater material prosperity — than exists in 
any European nation ; but any people may 
make a similar boast for themselves, according 
to their standard of comparison — Canres may 



142 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

boast of being superior to Hottentots. Our 
standard should not be any other people on 
earth. ; it should be graduated by the rules of 
right reason — of justice — and of our religion. 
Recollecting those rules, it must be confessed 
that our grade is not so high as it might be, 
considering our means and opportunities of 
advancement. 

As you have quoted for me an Essay of Lord 
Bacon's on "Hiches," I might quote for you 
an Essay of his on "Marriage and Single 
Life," and also one on "Love;" but as you 
have the book, I shall merely remark that on 
reading the former, its reasoning would prob- 
ably incline you to a single life ; while in the 
latter Essay, he actually calls Love — <# a weak 
passion ! " — as if a weak passion could so often 
arm even the mild and tender with poison and 
the dagger ! If the histories of the vagaries, 
- the absurdities, the sublimities of ' ' this weak 
passion" were not written, where would be 
the two -third parts of all our libraries^ — why, 
still in the land of dreams, or in the dens of 
nightmare. On this view of the case, that 
Essay of the famous Chancellor ought to be 
an object of bitter detestation to all novelists, 
printers and publishers. But there is a Ser- 
mon on Marriage by the celebrated Bishop 
Jeremy Taylor, which will perhaps hurry you 
on to present to some charmer — " The Marriage 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 143 

Ring," which is the title of the seimon ; and 
from which I shall now quote for you some 
paragraphs, as probably you have not the 
book at hand. I do hope to receive soon 
another letter from you, in which, if you can- 
not offer any remarks on the subject of this 
one, you can write on some other subject 
touched upon in our previous letters. Accept 
now, dear Brother, renewed assurances of my 
warm affection. 

Marian. 

"The Marriage Ring." 

" I&phesicms, ch. V. — The subject is con- 
sidered under the following heads : 

1. As to the conjoined duties of man and 
wife. 

2. The duty and power of the man. 

3. The rights and privileges and the duty of 
the wife." 

' ' The first blessing God gave to man was 
society, and that society was a marriage, and 
that marriage was confederate by God himself, 

and hallowed by a blessing." 

" Marriage was ordained by God, instituted in 
Paradise, was the relief of a natural necessity, 
and the first blessing from the Lord ; he gave 
to man not a friend, but a wife, that is a 
friend and a wife too (for a good woman is in 



144 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

her soul the same that a man is, and she is a 
woman onty in her body, that she may have 
the excellence of the one, and the usefulness 
of the other, and become amiable in both :).'" 

"The first miracle that ever 

Jesus did was to do honor to a wedding ; mar- 
riage was in the world before sin, and is in all 
ages of the world the greatest and most effec- 
tive antidote against sin, in which all the 
world had perished, if God had not made a 

remedy." : ' Marriage is a 

school and exercise of virtue ; and though. 
marriage hath cares, yet the single life hath 
desires, which are more troublesome and dan- 
gerous, and often end in sin, while the cares 
are but instances of duty and exercises of 
piety : and therefore if single life hath more 
privacy of devotion, yet marriage hath more 
necessities and more variety of it, and is an 



"The state of marriage fills up the number of 
the elect, and hath in it the labor of love and 
the delicacies of friendship, the blessing of 
society, and the union of hands and hearts ; it 
hath in it less of beauty, but more of safety, 
than single life ; it hath more care, but less 
danger ; it is more merry and more sad ; is 
fuller of sorrows, and fuller of joys ; it lies 
under more burdens, but is supported by all 
the strength of love and charity, and those 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 145 

burdens are delightful." Mar- 
riage is divine in its institution, sacred in its 
union, holy in the my stery, sacramental in its 
signification, honorable in its appellative, re- 
ligious in its employments : it is advantage 
to the societies of men, and it is ' holiness 

to the Lord.' " 

"The Conjoined Duty of Man and 
Wife." "In Clirlsto et Ecclesla — in Christ 
and the Church — that begins all, and there is 
great need it should be so ; for they that enter 
into a state of marriage, cast a die of the 
greatest contingency, and yet of the greatest 
interest in the world, next to the last throw of 
eternity. Life or death, felicity or lasting 
sorrow, are in the power of marriage. A 
woman indeed ventures most, for she has no 
sanctuary to retire to, from an evil husband." 

"As very a fool is he that 

chooses for beauty principally, 'cut sunt 
eruditi oculi, et stulta mens" — whose eyes are 
witty and their souls sensual ; it is an ill band 
of affection to tie two hearts together by a 
little thread of red and white. And they can 
love no longer but until the next ague comes ; 
and they are fond of each other but at the 
chance of fancy, or the small-pox, or care, or 
time, or anything that can destroy a pretty 
flower." .... " St. Clement says— < He 
or she that looks too curiously upon the 



146 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

beauty of the body, looks too low, and hath 
iiesh and corruption in his heart, and is 
judged sensual and earthly in his affections 
and desires.' " . . . . 

"Man and wife are equally concerned to 
avoid all offenses of each other in the begin- 
ning of their conversation ; every little thing 
can blast an infant blossom ; and the breath of 
the south can shake the little rings of the 
vine when first they begin to curl, like the 
locks of ajiew- weaned boy ; but when by age 
and consolidation they stiffen into the hard- 
ness of a stem, and have by the warm em- 
braces of the sun and the kisses of heaven, 
brought forth their clusters, they can endure 
the storms of the north, and the loud noises 
of the tempest, and yet never be broken ; so 
are the early unions of an unfixed marriage ; 
watchful and observant, jealous and busy, 
and apt to take alarm at every unkind word. 
Plutarch compares a new marriage to a vessel 
before the hoops are put on — ' everything dis- 
solves their tender compaginations ; but when 
the joints are stiffened and are tied by a firm 
compliance and a proportionate bending, 
scarcely can it be dissolved without fire or the 
violence of iron.' After the hearts of man 
and wife are endeared and hardened by mu- 
tual confidence, and experience longer than 
artifice or pretense can last, there are a great 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 147 

many remembrances, and some tilings present, 
that dash all little rmkindnesses to pieces." 
"Let a man and wile be careful to stifle 
little things, that, as fast as they spring, they 
may be cut down and trod upon ; for if they 
be suffered to grow, by numbers they make 
the spirit peevish, and the society trouble- 
some, and the affections loose and easy by an 
habitual aversation. Some men are more 
vexed with a fly than with a wound ; and 
when the gnats disturb our sleep, and the 
reason is disquieted, but not perfectly awak- 
ened, it is often seen that he is fuller of trou- 
ble than if, in the daylight of reason, he were 
to contest with a potent enemy. In the fre- 
quent little accidents of a family, a man's 
reason cannot always be awake, and when his 
discourses are imperfect, and a trifling trouble 
makes him yet more restless, he is soon be- 
trayed to the violence of passion." 

' ' Ever remembering that discontents proceed- 
ing from daily little things, do breed secret, 
undiscernible disease, which is more danger- 
ous than a discovered fever, let them (man 
and wife) be sure to abstain from all those 
things, which by experience they find to be 
contrary to each other. They that gov- 
ern elephants never appear before them in 
white ; and the masters of cattle keep from 
them all garments of scarlet, as knowing 



148 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

that tliey will be impatient of civil usages 
and discrpline, when their natures are pro- 
voked by their proper antipathies." . . . . 
' ' Let the husband and wife infinitely avoid a 
curious distinction of mine and thine; for this 
has caused all the laws, and all the suits, and 
all the wars in the world ; them who have but 
one person, have also but one interest." . . . . 
" Indeed there is scarcely any matter of duty 
but it concerns them both alike, and is only 
distinguished by names, and hath its variety 
by circumstances and little accidents ; and 
what in one is called love, in the other is called 
reverence % and what in the wife is obedience, 
the same in the man is duty. He provides and 
she dispenses ; he gives commandments, and 
she rules by them ; he rules her by authority, 
and she him by love, she ought by all means to 
please him, and he must by no means displease 
her." 

. . . . "Valerius says in Livy — 
' husbands should rather be fathers than lords.' 
Homer adds more soft appelatives to the char- 
acter of a husband's duty — 'thou art to be a 
father and a mother to her, and a brother ; ' 
and great reason, unless the state of marriage 
should be no better than the condition of an 
orphan. For she that is bound to leave father 
and mother, and brother for thee, either is mis- 
erable like a poor fatherless child, or else ought 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 149 

to find all these, and more, in thee." . . . 
"It was rarely observed by Philo — When 
Adam made that fond excuse for his folly in 
eating the forbidden frnit, he said, ' The woman 
thou gavest to be witli me, she gave me.' He 
says not, 'The woman which thon gavest io 
me,' no such thing ; she is none of his goods, 
none of his possessions, not to be reckoned 
amongst his servants ; God did not give her to 
him so ; but the woman thou gavest to be with 
me, that is to be my partner, the companion of 
my joys and sorrows, thou gavest her to me 
for use, not for dominion. The dominion of a 
man over his wife is no other than as the soul 
rules the body ; for which ft takes a mighty 
care, and uses it with a delicate tenderness, and 
cares for it in all contingencies." .... 

"Tiberius Gracchus chose to die for the 
safety of his wife ; and yet methinks for a 
Christian to do so, should be no hard thing ; 
for many servants will die for their masters, 
and many gentlemen will die for their friends ; 
but the examples are not so many of those that 
are ready to do it for their dearest relatives, 
and yet some there have been. Baptista Fra- 
gosa tells of a Neapolitan, that gave himself a 
slave to the Moors, that he might follow his 
wife ; and Dominicus Catalusius, the Prince of 
Lesbos, kept company with his lady, when she 
was a leper ; and these are greater things than 



150 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

to die." . . . "Above all tlie instances of 
love, let Mm preserve towards her an inviolable 
faith, and an unspotted chastity ; for this is 
the marriage ring, it ties two hearts by an 
eternal band ; it is like the Cherubim' s naming 
sword, set for the guard of Paradise." . . . 
" The Rights ajs t d Peivileges and Duties 
of a Wife." "The first is obedience, which, 
because it is nowhere enjoined that the man 
should exact of her, but often commanded her 
to pay, gives demonstration that it is a volun- 
tary cession that is required ; such a cession 
must be without coercion and violence on his 
part, but on fair inducements, and reasonable- 
ness in the thing, and out of love and honor on 
her part." . . . " Those women that had 
rather lead the blind than follow prudent 
guides ; rule fools and easy men than obey the 
powerful and wise, never make a good society 
in a house." . . . " It is a sad calamity for 
a woman to be joined to a fool, or a weak per- 
son ; it is like a guard of geese to keep the 
Capitol ; or as if a flock of sheep should read 
grave lectures to their shepherd, and give him 
orders when he should conduct them to pas- 
ture. Concerning the measure and limit of this 
obedience, Clemens Alexandrinus says — 'In 
all things let the wife be subject to the 
husband, so as to do nothing against his will ; 
those only things excepted, in which he is ini- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 151 

pious and refractory in things pertaining to 
wisdom and piety." 



LETTER XVII. 



My Deae Sister : 

I must acknowledge that your 
X^lans for restoring the institution of marriage, 
to its high place in public opinion, whatever 
else they may be, are perfectly impartial — in 
them you show no more favor to your own sex, 
than to mine — so they are more likely to prove 
acceptable to both. As you supposed might 
be the case, your quotation from Bishop Tay- 
lor's Sermon counteracted in my mind the 
effects of Bacon' s Essays on Marriage and on 
Love. Still, do not jump to the conclusion that 
I am ready to jump into wedlock, and have 
already purchased — "the marriage ring." I 
do riot wish to be a grandfather, or to make 
you a grand-aunt, at least before forty. Some 
live or six years hence, encouraged by your 
happy example, I shall probably endeavor to 
put in practice as a husband, the wise lessons 
of the pious Bishop. 
I shall add nothing more on this subject, but 



152 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

as you suggest that I might write on any other 
mentioned in our previous letters, I shall now 
submit to your consideration some of my ideas 
on Heaven, concerning which you have given, 
in the 11th Letter, some views drawn from the 
Scriptures. 

I too will refer to the Scriptures, 28th chap- 
ter of Genesis, where is related Jacob's dream, 
during which he beheld a ladder reaching to 
heaven, and the angels of God descending and 
ascending on it ; and also there received the 
promise of many and great favors from God. 
May not the souls of men, as they partake of 
the angels' nature, like them ascend to heaven ; 
each good deed done, for love of God, to fel- 
low-men, forming as it were a step to mount to 
the abodes of endless felicity % 

Jacob thought that a place hallowed by this 
striking indication of the presence of the 
Divinity, should be held sacred ; and there- 
fore to express his veneration, he erected on 
that spot a pillar, which he consecrated by 
pouring oil thereon. He also expressed his 
gratitude by resolving to dedicate the tenth of 
his substance to the Lord. 

To him who deems himself a philosopher, as 
one wise above his fellow-mortals, these dis- 
plays of veneration and gratitude by the Patri- 
arch Jacob, may seem very useless and vain ; 
since the whole earth is God's footstool, and 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 153 

the whole produce thereof in his power. But 
as all men are not so happy, or unhappy, as to 
be philosophic ; as, on the contrary, the intel- 
lect of the vast majority of mankind is incap- 
able of penetrating the mysteries of life and of 
the universe ; and as their views, but not their 
affections or hopes, are bounded by narrower 
limits, than those of philosophers, some may 
be allowed, without being scoffed at, to express 
their veneration and gratitude, in a manner and 
to an extent accordant with their lights and 
their powers. Whether philosophic or not, a 
man' s expression of veneration and gratitude, 
such as that of Jacob, should be pleasing to 
his fellow-men, and cannot be displeasing to 
his Creator, since that expression generally 
conduces to the improvement of the feelings 
and conditions prevailing throughout the world. 
Experience shows such to be the results of such 
course ; men then act benificently by dedi- 
cating special places for the worship of the Al- 
mighty ; and by contributing a share of their 
substance for that elevating, encouraging and 
consoling purpose. 

On comparing the results produced by the 
expression of veneration and gratitude, with 
the consequences that must follow the sup- 
pression of these feelings, the prospect of 
such suppression should strike the most con- 
fident or careless with dread for the fate of 
society. 



154 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

Respect being a minor degree of veneration, 
by destroying the greater yon destroy the 
less ; suppress veneration towards God, and 
yon destroy respect towards men — towards 
the wise, the brave, the good — yon rednce the 
good to the level of the bad ; like the demon, 
yon say in effect — "evil, be thou my good!" 

Demolish the cathedrals, the chnrches, the 
hnmble chapels, and other venerable struc- 
tures, that gratitnde has dedicated to the 
special service of the Creator, and they mnst 
inevitably be replaced by jails and peniten- 
tiaries ; and songs of gratitnde and rejoicing 
would be silenced by the noise of ribaldry, by 
shouts of hatred and rage, and by cries of fear 
and hopeless sufferings. 

The loss of veneration brings on the loss of 
resx>ect — from the loss of respect comes the 
loss of obedience and mutual confidence — 
thence the debasement of civilized society 
rapidly follows. Self-esteem may lead to 
proper independence, but it may lead to an- 
archy ; veneration may lead to nndne submis- 
sion, bnt it also leads to those sentiments 
which civilize and preserve society. It is a 
question well worth the consideration of states- 
men and moralists, which of those feelings — • 
self-esteem or veneration — is most needed, and 
which thence should be most forcibly incul- 
cated in our community. 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 155 

There are men who, with profound venera- 
tion, will visit spots renowned as the scenes 
of illustrious deeds, and who will assume 
merit to themselves in such cases ; and they 
may fairly do so, for thereby they show that 
they are not utterly wanting in noble senti- 
ments, which are naturally warmed on the 
spot where great and good actions were per- 
formed. Yet with glaring inconsistency, these 
same men will scoff at buildings erected for 
the purpose of exciting and keeping alive 
similar elevating thoughts of veneration and 
gratitude ! 

Whether he be a philosoioher or not, that 
man must be pitied who is never exalted by 
feelings of veneration and gratitude towards a 
Supreme Being, who has placed him above 
the level of beasts, by endowing him with an 
irrepressible conciousness and hox)e of im- 
mortality. 

Those who profess that they do not believe 
in the existence of God, or of a superintend- 
ing Providence, though they tremble in the 
dark or in sickness, and who insist vain- 
gloriously that they are mere brutes, being 
equally without immortal souls, are here of 
course out of the question. 

Pardon me, dear Sister, for troubling you 
with these observations ; for they have led me 
further than I designed from my promised re- 



156 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

marks on heaven. Investigations on that 
subject may be in vain, but they cannot be 
wrong, for they help to enliven pious hopes, 
and to encourage the mind to seek for means 
of attaining the desired blessings. The sub- 
ject has engaged the solemn attention of men 
in all ages and countries, but with very unsat- 
isfactory results. The refined ancients, like 
the modern savages, believed that heaven 
should consist of an endless continuance of 
sensual pleasures, similar to those they de- 
sired on earth The Greeks and Eomans had 
their sunless, shadowy Elysian Fields — the 
ancient Germans and Scandinavians had their 
Valhalla, where the spirits of their heroes, 
quaffed from brimming bowls deep drafts of 
celestial lager beer — the Moslems hope to en- 
joy, amid aerial groves and streams, the com- 
pany of ever-blooming houris — and even our 
Indians expect to range freely through the 
happy hunting grounds of a Spirit Land ; 

"And think, admitted to that equal sky, 
Their faithful dogs shall bear them company. 5 ' 

The ideas I shall submit to you on the sub- 
ject will of course be liable to many objections; 
but I trust you will find that they indicate 
due regard for morality and respect for our 
Creator ; and that they will help in some de- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 157 

gree to moderate tlie eagerness of men engaged 
in the Race for Wealth. 

Thoughts on Heaven. — What is the nature 
of the enjoyments in the abodes of the blessed \ 
Where is Heaven \ 

As the human soul partakes of the nature of 
the Divinity, so it may partake largely here- 
after of the Divine enjoyments — universal 
knowledge — creative power — and exhaustless 
beneficence. But in none of these Divine at- 
tributes can a created spirit ever equal its 
Creator ; even in its highest and brightest 
state, it will find a Supreme Being before 
whom it can bend in gratitude and worship, 
and behold with ever-renewed ecstasy — it shall 
never be deprived of an object worthy of re- 
ceiving these offerings of a happy soul. 

These preliminary remarks lead to. the first 
point for our consideration — 1. How and to 
what extent may the disembodied soul partake 
of celestial knowledge ? Its reasoning powers 
still existing, and still excited by curiosity, 
the soul will inquire into the causes and nature 
of the innumerable objects of this and of other 
globes ; and in selecting the objects for its in- 
quiries, the soul shall be permitted to exercise 
its Will — thus still retaining the pleasure of 
choice, of accepting or rejecting ; and thence 
the distance in the extent of its previous and 
its new knowledge, may become immeasurably 



158 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

greater than that existing between the knowl- 
edge of the young, ignorant boy, and that of 
the mature, learned philosopher. 

The extent and power of man's reason are 
indeed so great and admirable, that he may 
just claim for it a divine descent; yet, those pro- 
found geniuses, Newton, Laplace, and Davy, 
with all their acuteness and deep and varied ac- 
quirements, declared that they had barely gained 
an insight into a few of nature' s operations. 
The following questions specially engaged their 
attention. Of what are the various bodies in 
and on the earth formed, and how do they act 
and react on each other ? How are the earth 
and other planets kept moving regularly and 
constantly in their courses ? Why are they 
not drawn into that consuming globe — the 
Sun ? Newton accounts for their movements 
and preservation by the principles of gravita- 
tion, of attraction and repulsion, and supports 
his views by the exercise of his prof ound ma- 
thematical science. It was certainly a great 
effort of reason, to deduce from the fall of an 
apple, the course of the earth and other orbs 
— to discover and closely calculate the propor- 
tion of their respective powers of attraction 
and repulsion — to prove that there is a con- 
tinuous battle in the skies between bulk and 
distance. 

All these explanations req uired the profound- 






CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 159 

est thought, and they give much satisfaction. 
Yet after all, the dissatisfied mind may still 
reasonably ask — what is gravitation % where 
and by whom, or by what, was that principle 
first put in operation \ Does the principle ex- 
tend throughout the universe \ — and if so, 
where is the grand central point of gravitation % 
Are there other Suns, attracting, warming and 
illuminating other earths % These questions 
impossible of positive and full solution by man, 
will become plain to his inquiring and delighted 
soul. ]N"or shall its discoveries be confined to 
the principles that guide the planets in their 
courses, and whence they take their source. The 
soul may also not only disunite and trace the 
simple substances, whose combinations form the 
various object on this and other globes, but it 
may further discover how those sinrple bodies 
have been formed. Davy and other skilful 
analyzers, have discovered the components of 
many substances, but they have been balked 
in their inquiries far short of the end ; with all 
their acuteness and their numerous experi- 
ments, they have failed to penetrate the mys- 
tery of the formation of the so-called simple 
substances. One substance especially has ex- 
cited the anxious labors even of kings and 
philosophers ; fortunes and lives have been 
exhausted in its pursuit, but in vain ; happily, 
or unhappily, for mankind, man is still igno- 



160 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

rant of the materials and methods for manu- 
facturing gold. Nor can the most persistent 
student of nature yet tell why the same, spot 
of earth, produces at once nourishing and 
poisonous herbs — at once sweet and bitter 
fruits. But all these secrets will become grad- 
ually unfolded to the inquiring Spirit, filling it 
with ever renewed awe and delight. 

Men of science hare declared, that when 
they had discovered some unknown process or 
combination in nature, they have been exhil- 
erated by an exalted pleasure. What ecstasy 
then may fill the soul, as it speeds from planet 
to planet, on discovering hitherto unimagined 
forms and principles, which, by then" utility 
and beauty, impel it to renewed adoration of 
their beneficent Creator ! 

But the liberated soul shall not be confined 
to the examination of the courses of the 
planets, and of the substance and formation 
of their various objects. Moral as well as 
physical subjects may engage its attention. It 
may trace the causes of all social and political 
changes, from the most distant ages, to the 
present day. The obscure puzzles of history 
— the rise and fall of empires — the careers 
of individuals and of nations — all may be 
plainly traced by the illumined spirit ; which, 
with, humble wonder, may discover that events 
which had appeared dark with evil, had really 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 161 

led to widespread good. All the particulars 
here presented, offer but a faint shadow of the 
innumerable sources of enjoyment, which 
may engage the intellect of the freed soul 
throughout eternity. 

But the intellectual powers of the soul will 
not be unlimited ; it shall not possess — Fore - 
knowledge. The power of foreseeing events 
or consequences on earth, would deprive men 
of many if not all, of their motives for action, 
making them mere machines — Foreknowing 
the evil consequences of an action, they would 
not perform it — and foreknowing the good, 
they would accept it without pleasure, as a 
mere matter of course. The power of far 
foresight would deaden or destroy the pleasure 
arising from curiosity, and from the expecta- 
tion of new enjoyments ; the power of fore- 
sight into the far future is therefore mercifully 
withheld from man on earth. The effect of 
the power on the disembodied soul would be 
similar. So souls in heaven, 'like pious souls 
on earth, will securely and joyfully refer all 
consequences to the boundless benevolence of 
the Omniscient Creator. 

The second source of the soul's enjoyments 
in heaven may now be suggested. 2. How and 
to what extent may the liberated Spirit partic- 
ipate in Creative power? There are thou- 
sands of orbs rolling in space, brightly visible 



182 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

to the naked eye, and there are other thou- 
sands visible by the aid of instruments — we 
may then fairly conclude, that as space is 
unlimited, it may contain, or shall contain, 
other thousands of orbs already created, or to 
be hereafter created. What glorious, blissful 
fields these may afford the soul for the exer- 
cise of delegated creative power, and of its 
newly acquired knowledge ! 

On earth, man can but ameliorate forms 
already existing— in heaven, his soul may be 
not only their conceiver but their creator. But 
this power must be limited ; for though the 
soul might be granted the power of creating 
objects possessed of animal or vegetable life, 
which would conform to principles established 
by the Great Creator, yet it could not be 
granted the power of creating Beings animated 
by reasoning and immortal souls, for such 
power would involve consequences and respon- 
sibilities too awful to be assumed by any but 
a Supreme, Omniscient Creator : to whom all 
created immortal souls should ultimately look 
with gratitude and hope. 

But within this wide limit, the soul on other 
planets may exercise judgment, invention, will 
and benevolence, in conceiving and perfecting 
new forms of animal and vegetable life ; some 
of which the mind may have conceived while 
on earth, but which it was here powerless to 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 163 

bring into substantial existence. These new 
forms may be useful in their sphere, and be 
capable of giving and receiving pleasure, being 
thence agreeable to the Supreme Creator, and 
a source of thankfulness and joy to the crea- 
ting soul. 

These ideas on the nature of some of the en- 
joyments of the soul in heaven, are founded on 
the reasonable supposition, that other globes 
are inhabited by corporeal and intelligent be- 
ings. If not blasphemy, it would be at least 
derogating from the wisdom of the Almighty, 
to suppose that He had created multitudes of 
enormous, bright globes for no useful purpose, 
but merely for his own amusement, as a boy 
blows soap bubbles — it would be derogatory to 
his power, to suppose that on them also he 
could not create animal and vegetable forms, 
and beings blessed with intellect and affections 
— it would be derogatory to His benevolence, to 
suppose that he would not grant to the soul 
when disembodied, as He has when it is in the 
body, the enjoyment of helping to forward His 
wide and beneficent purposes. 

Suppositions the contrary to those indicate a 
more elevated idea of the wisdom, power and 
benevolence of the Almighty. Man then may 
humbly, yet firmly, hope that his freed and 
expanded soul may be blessed, by being made 
a participator in the sublime and benevolent 
operations of its Creator. 



164 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

But siiperlmman knowledge and creative 
power, though extensive and glorious, may not 
satisfy the liberated soul ; it will also desire to 
exercise its benevolence and compassion, by 
works encouraging and comforting to mankind, 
and to the beings that may exist in other 
planets ; and this brings us to the third con- 
sideration : 

3. How and to what extent shall the liberated 
soul exercise its benevolence ? 

Among every race of mankind an opinion has 
prevailed that some superior being has occa- 
sionally descended to the earth — to counsel, to 
guide, and to teach ignorant or erring mortals. 
This opinion may have insensibly spread over 
the earth, from the great central scenes of 
Scriptural events. The Scriptures record sev- 
eral such occurrences, which may be reason- 
ably accepted by Christian faith, as those An- 
gelic messengers were sent for no trifling or 
temporary purpose. They came to re-enforce 
and satisfy the sense of justice among men, by 
the punishment of enormous wickedness — to 
revive and encourage a failing hope in Divine 
promises — to express Divine satisfaction at an 
obedience induced by faith ; all which events 
of the primitive times of our race, have in- 
fluenced human destinies even to our days. 
Assuredly Groddid not need the help of Angels 
— His mere will could have effected his pur- 






CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 165 

poses ; but in His unbounded goodness, He 
permitted Angels to share in the Divine enjoy- 
ments, by helping to carry on His beneficent 
plans. As He thus favored one class of created 
beings, we may reasonably hope that He will 
extend a like favor to that other immortal 
creation of His word — the human soul. 

How then may the soul exercise its benevo- 
lence during eternity ? E\- en while imprisoned 
here below, the soul careers in thought to dis- 
tant planets, and longs to share in the opera- 
tions of the Almighty Mind ; when set free, 
beholding the boundless and varied fields for 
the exercise of its benevolence, it will burn 
with intensest longing to enter on the work. 
Then its divine Creator may appoint it to share 
in watching over and guarding special objects 
on other globes— or He may permit it to choose 
there the objects for its beneficence — whether 
to guard and guide Beings already created, or 
those which, by divine permission, it may it- 
self create : and which thence would be objects 
of its special and loving beneficence. Nor shall 
the liberated spirit forget, or be excluded from, 
the scene of its human joys and sorrows — the 
earth. Here, by mental influence, it may re- 
store the fallen to the ways of virtue — here it 
may guide the destitute into ways of comfort 
— here console the afflicted, or encourage the 
disheartened — here it may lead to the protec- 



168 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

tion of the innocent, or the punishment of the 
guilty — and here also it may execute decrees 
of Divine Justice — by fire, by flood, or other 
elemental forces : 

"And, pleased th' Almighty's orders to perform, 
Ride on the whirlwind and direct the storm." 

Even these displays of power shall prove 
sources of satisfaction, as being the enforce- 
ment of long delayed and warning justice. On 
the other hand, the freed spirit may be the 
blessed messenger of mercy — arresting pesti- 
lence — sending showers — and thus restoring 
health and abundance to wide tracks of the 
admonished earth. On fulfilling each divine 
decree, the soul may rejoice in this further re- 
ward — praise from its Creator ! For, may it 
not receive as well as render praise ? Shall 
God, in his boundless benignity, never say, as 
Christ said in the parable on earth, — "Well 
done, thou good and faithful servant, enter 
thou into the joy of thy Lord!" Then shall 
the soul resume its intermitted song of grati- 
tude and praise. 

With, this general beneficence, the soul may 
also exercise the private affections. It may 
enter into loving communion with the spirits of 
friends that have preceded or followed it from 
earth to heaven. There husbands and wives — 
there parents and children may reunite, to re- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 167 

joice for evermore — or, there souls may dis- 
cover and intercommune with others, more 
congenial than any that had been met with 
here below. 

Bnt the power of the soul to exercise its be- 
neficence will not be unlimited; being restricted 
in Foreknowledge, it might err in the exercise 
of its benevolence, that feeling then shall be 
bounded in its exercise by the supreme law — 
Justice : which in effect is also an operation of 
benevolence. The soul therefore may execute, 
but it shall not have the power to counteract, 
the decrees of divine Justice. 

After giving this faint outline of what may 
be the nature of the soul's enjoyments in eter- 
nity, we may recur to the question — Where 
is Heaven? An answer may be found in a 
divine saying recorded in the Scriptures — " In 
my Fathers house are many mansions." The 
Father s house is — the universe ; the many 
mansions are — the many bright orbs created by 
Him throughout space. There the inquiring 
soul may exercise its enlarged intellect — there 
it may participate in creative power — and there, 
and for the earth, it may rejoice in doing deeds 
of encouraging and exalting beneficence. Thus 
Heaven is both a place and a condition of the 
soul. 

Among those bright mansions — reason, will, 
invention, judgment, admiration, curiosity, 



168 THE RACE FOB WEALTH 

hope, all tlie intellectual powers may still be 
exercised by, and move and rejoice the soul ; 
while the expression of the affections — of 
friendship, gratitude, benevolence, and celes- 
tial love, shall complete its state of bliss. Such 
may be the place, and such may be the enjoy- 
ments of the blessed soul throughout eternity. 
On the other hand, a condemned soul, still 
retaining its intellectual powers, may be in 
torture by its incapacity to use them, either 
for good or for evil ; while the bad passions 
and feelings — envy, malice, jealousy, bitter 
hate and deep despair, shall complete its tor- 
ments, as it wanders in outer darkness, and 
beholds from afar, the luminous glory of the 
blessed with, despairing anguish, for to it — 
"Hope never comes, that comes to all, but 
torture without end still urges." 

Such may be the punishment of the lost, 
self -condemned soul — self- condemned, for while 
on earth, it knew, on the one hand, a narrow 
way, rendered somewhat difficult indeed, by 
restraints on animal appetites and desires, but 
still leading to peace and joy ; on the other, a 
broad, open way dazzling with objects to gra- 
tify fleshly lusts and vanity, but ending in 
scenes of lasting woe. By choosing the latter, 
the soul condemned itself — and the conscious- 
ness that its condemnation is its own deed, 
proves to be its deepest woe in eternity. These 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER, 169 

feelings of the dread hereafter may be reason- 
ably inferred from the feelings of man on earth. 
While here, on committing, folly, crime, or 
sin, he first seeks some circumstances, or per- 
son, on which or whom he may cast the blame ; 
but finding that through his passions, made 
evil by excess, he alone is guilty, with shrink- 
ing consciousness he is forced to condemn him- 
self. He may even attempt to cast the blame 
upon his Creator ! But in vain — at every such 
attempt, the remembrance of his own wilful- 
ness forces him to take the guilt, with added 
weight, upon himself. This remembrance of 
his self-chosen guilt tortures his soul with 
anguish, that cannot be soothed by repentance 
beyond the grave. Man then condemns him- 
self — God but confirms the decree. 

There are men of abstruse learning and far- 
reaching thought, who disregard the affairs of 
this world, who unwisely make no efforts to 
leave things here below better than they found 
them. Pondering on the immensity of the 
universe, they deem it vain to be much con- 
cerned about the state of things on a planet, 
which for each may ostensibly cease to exist in 
less than a century — in three score years and 
ten ; and which for all mankind may vanish 
away as rapidly as a Hash in a storm, by being 
hurled or attracted from its present position in 
space, to be absorbed by some enormous orb, 



170 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

that rolls in regions far beyond mortal ken. 
Why, such men may say, should we labor for 
a psendo immortality ; for since this world 
shall pass away as mists of the morning, the 
remembrance of no man, nor of his deeds, 
herein can be properly called immortal ? Yet 
if those men did but think further, they must 
perceive that the power of directing their 
thoughts on eternity and into boundless space, 
is an evidence of the divine nature of the soul ; 
and that such power could not have been waste- 
fully bestowed merely for a short and inef- 
ficient use on earth; but that it was given to 
raise a longing, that would impel the body to 
work for that real immortality to be found in 
heaven ; which can be attained only by labor- 
ing on earth, in obedience to the feeling, in- 
spired by nature and enforced by Revelation, 
that to labor for mankind, is to labor for and 
with God. 

Who so merely an animal as not to work to 
secure for his soul an entrance into the divine 
" Mansions" — there to be made forever glori- 
ous and happy, by the possession of great and 
beneficent powers ! With that prospect, were 
it not sinful and obstructive to rush unbidden 
from their place of trial here below, multi- 
tudes might attempt to hasten their entrance 
into that happy sphere ; with that prospect, 
all may justly, and piously long for death, 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 171 

welcoming its approach, with these triumphant 
words — "0 Death, where is thy sting! O 
Grave, where is thy victory ! " 

Though the preceding remarks may, per- 
haps, direct thought, enliven hope, and en- 
courage efforts, for the attainment of the 
blessings and enjoyments therein suggested — 
yet they present but a very restricted and dim 
idea of the delights the liberated soul may 
enjoy in heaven. In vain the mind of man 
tries to imagine the fulness of future bliss, 
while his soul is imprisoned in the body ; 
while in this condition, he is compelled to re- 
peat, and rely on, these solemn yet attractive 
words of Scripture — "But, as it is written, 
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have 
entered into the heart of man, the things that 
God hath prepared for them that love Him." 

Now, dear Sister, the prospect of heaven 
here presented, will induce very few, if any, I 
suspect to moderate their eagerness in the Race 
for Wealth, in order to take time for prepara- 
tion to enter on these imagined scenes of enjoy- 
ment : however it certainly will not encourage 
them in the Race, so I send it to you that you 
may, if you choose, read it to your friends, 
and thus give them, if nothing better, at least 
something to discuss. 

My exile from home will soon terminate, so 
I can expect the favor of but one letter more 



172 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

from you, ere I shall nave the pleasure of 
speaking instead of writing to you. There is 
one subject, to which you made a slight allu- 
sion in a previous letter, and in which your sex 
takes a laudable interest, namely — Temperance 
in Drinks. By sending mo some remarks on 
that subject, you will highly gratify your ever 
affectionate brother 

George. 



LETTER XVIII. 

Dear Brother: 

I may fairly assure you that the 
reading of your Thoughts on Heaven, gave 
much pleasure both to me and our friends. On 
your return home your views of the subject 
will afford at least some points for useful and 
agreeable discussion among us. 

I willingly comply with your request to 
write you some remarks on Temperance in 
Drinks, as I think I can offer some points on 
that subject, which have not been hitherto 
brought forward. The contest on the subject 
is now mainly between the principle of Tem- 
perance and that of Total Prohibition. To de- 
cide fairly between them, it will first be neces- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 173 

sary to see, which, side best accords with ex- 
perience, and the laws of nature in man ; for, 
as you justly observed in a letter, unless these 
laws be allowed some freedom, it were folly to 
enact restrictive laws, which would surely be 
privately shirked, or publicly broken. How 
has nature always declared itself in man on 
this point ? The desire for stimulants has pre- 
vailed in all ages and climes ; from the time 
that Noah planted a vineyard in the east, and 
abused its use ; until our day, when chlorine, 
discovered in the west, stimulates the secret 
debauchee. The universality of the desire for 
stimulants, all ending in the stupor of nar- 
cotics, is proved by the craving of the Chinese 
for opium, of the Malay and Hindoo for bang 
or betel-nut, of the Turk, Persian, and Egyp- 
tian, for hashish or opium — while of Europeans 
generally, and of their descendants in America, 
the desire for stimulants is omniverous ; these 
indulge in alcohol in various forms, and in 
opium, hashish, or chlorine under many dis- 
guises—all or any one of them, when used to 
excess, enervating or brutalizing its victims." 

Now, since man must have a stimulant, 
which of these would prove to be least injuri- 
ous to the individnal, and society ? which shall 
we allow — opium, or hashish, or chlorine, or 
alcoholic liquors % On a general view of the 
subject, for my part, I would decide for alco- 



174 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

hoi in its various forms — wine, spirits, beer, 
etc., etc., not forgetting the delicious nectar 
distilled by the jaws of dusky maidens, in the 
ever-blooming Isles of the Southern seas. The 
use of these could be most easily restricted — 
there are many interests involved in their use 
— their use is not always nor wholly debasing, 
but elicits many agreeable social traits — while 
as to their medicinal effects, the balance of 
learned professional opinions, inclines greatly 
in their favor. Concluding from its universal- 
ity, that the desire for stimulants is natural, 
it is plain that those who advocate their total 
prohibition, try to trample out nature, and 
must therefore iail ; whereas those who en- 
deavor to restrain the desire within the bounds 
of Temperance, allowing some freedom to na- 
ture, may thus hope to succeed, with the help 
of suitable laws — aided by religion and con- 
science — and by reasonable self-interest. By 
grasping at too much, all is lost. 

I further" remark, that in making laws to 
guide or restrain men, we may fairly avail our- 
selves of every innate principle of their nature, 
among which are self-esteem and vanity. By 
legally enforcing total abstinence from alco- 
holic liquors, we not only lose the support of 
these principles, but even render them hostile 
to our design. A man cannot claim any merit 
for obeying a law he deems to be inquisitorial 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 175 

— lie obeys from fear, not from conscience ; 
hence he becomes secretly or openly hostile to 
it. When force is used to keep men to a cer- 
tain line, none can claim merit for doing so. 
The sober man could then no longer look down 
with scorn or pity on the drunkard ; he will 
rather admire the latter, boasting that he at 
least shall be free in his private course — that 
he shall not be driven to obey the laws of God, 
except by God himself acting through the reason 
and conscience He has bestowed on us for our 
guidance. 

Such is the rebound of self-esteem, which, 
deprived of the merit of free action, and of 
self-restraint, repulses an enforced benefit as 
an insult and a burden. 

Unhappily there are many persons who 
would purchase an hour of visionary bliss, 
even at the price of years of life ; nor will the 
knowledge that alcohol may poison, deter them 
from its use, for unfortunately even a drunken 
chemist or doctor is not a very rare phenom- 
enon. Such men, not born fools either, will go 
on drinking and carousing — wasting time and 
health as carelessly, as if they had a hundred 
years of sturdy, rosy life securely tied up in a 
purse, to be drawn out and used or not, just as 
they might please. They will cry out — " Oh, 
a short life and a merry one for us I 1 ' The 
shortness is pretty sure, but the merriness — 



176 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

there's tlie rub ! — it is the "grin and bear it" 
style of merriment. Such men are exceptional, 
like those who will persist in a course of 
knavery ancl thieving, though they are aware 
they could do better by uprightness and hon- 
esty. Against the- intemperate use of strong 
liquors, as against other causes of evil, society 
has a right to protect itself by laws, but these 
should not be as binding and unyielding as 
iron fetters. The laws against theft are abso- 
lute, yet there are thieves — the laws against 
the use of strong liquors may be made abso- 
lute, yet there would be drunkards : it is said 
that drunkards could be found in Maine, even 
when it was almost a crime there for bread to 
ferment ! The laws against theft must be kept 
absolute, because they are necessary for the 
very existence of society ; but the laws regard- 
ing strong liquors may remain moderate, be- 
cause under such,, society has existed, and may 
still exist, in a bearable, if not in a fully sat- 
isfactory condition. 

In making laws bearing on this matter, of 
mingled moral and material interests, it is diffi- 
cult to find the justest and most effective point 
at which to begin the use of repression. Nec- 
essarily passing over the growers of grains 
(though should Total Prohibition prevail, mil- 
lions of acres would be left uncultivated) should 
the laws against drunkenness begin their at- 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. 177 

tack, first on the sellers of grain to distillers 
and brewers, or on the bnyers — or on the whole- 
sale importers and vendors of strong liquors — 
or finally must the attack be made only on re- 
tailers \ These are perplexing questions in mak- 
ing laws for a good end, but through which in- 
justice may be done, by fixing a slur upon those 
least deserving of it. Logically perhaps total 
Prohibitionists should go back of all such per- 
sons, and protest against nature herself, for 
allowing fermentation to spoil some of her best 
gifts, grains and fruits, by changing them into 
alcohol. At whatever line the law may begin 
to act, it should not be forgotten that to make 
it effective, it must pay some regard to nature 
in man. 

When a man finds that he has not resolution 
enough to resist the solicitations or jeers of 
seeming friends, or his own desire for strong 
liquors, that one glass brings on many, he will 
then do well to vow privately, or publicly be- 
fore a society, never to taste alcoholic liquors. 
He is then bound by honor and self-respect — 
by his wish for the good opinion of the world, 
and by self-interest, to keep his vow firmly and 
faithfully. But when he is prevented from 
tasting strong liquors by prohibitory laws, 
when he is thus treated as a child or idiot, who 
has no self-control, then all his feelings are 
roused to oppose the law. Self-interest and 



178 THE RACE FOR WEALTH 

vanity will drive to resistance, for lie will be- 
lieve that he -will gain the respect of his neigh- 
bors, by his bold resistance to laws depriving 
him of the regulation of his own conscience ; 
and which hold him up to the scorn of society, 
as a being without enough of mind, or resolu- 
tion to take care of himself. 

For irresolute men, let there be Total Absti- 
nence Societies ; but no laws of Total Prohi- 
bition, binding the strong with the weak in de- 
grading subjection. 

Zealots and charlatans differ from wise re- 
formers, by attempting to stifle nature utterly, 
while the latter seek to control and guide it ; 
the former attempt the impossible, the latter, 
the possible : such is the difference between 
Total Prohibitionists and Temperance men. 
The former after a sad waste of efforts must ulti- 
mately fail ; the latter can secure a large meas- 
ure of success for their beneficent purposes ; 
in which indeed they have already made a 
gratifying progress. On comparing the opin- 
ions and customs relative to temperance in 
drinking, which prevailed in society some 
thirty or forty years ago, with those now exist- 
ing, Temperance men and society may well 
rejoice at their gains. But to maintain their 
ground, they must be as - constant at labor i:i 
their moral field, as the industrious farmer on 
his farm, else a renewed growth of the old 



CONSIDERED BY A BROTHER AND SISTER. ITS 

weeds may render all previous labor vain. Let 
Temperance men and women then, and their 
Societies, work constantly, yet temperately, in 
the cause of Temperance ; they will thus con- 
tinue to guard society from much immorality 
and misery. In any event, they will have the 
pleasing consciousness of having done much 
for the benent of their fellow- citizens and their 
country. 

I will now submit a plan for the Total Pro- 
hibitionists, which I think would soon effect 
their design of totally prohibiting the use of 
alcoholic liquors. A very large part of the 
revenues of towns and cities, of counties and 
States, and of the general Government, is de- 
rived from taxes on spirituous and malt 
liquors ; which revenues serve to pay the pub- 
lic debts and bonds of the country. Now let 
the Prohibitionists persuade all creditors, all 
bondholders, to refuse receiving any interest 
on their debts or bonds, to forego all claims on 
the public ; or at least so much of them as 
will bear a due proportion, to the revenue de- 
rived from the taxes on alcoholic liquors. 
Thus if these taxes yield one-fourth of the 
public revenues, let creditors and bondholders 
give up one-fourth of their incomes, or what- 
ever part may be derived from public securities. 
Then governments may safely and boldly shut 
up all distilleries and breweries, and drinking 



180 THE RACE FOR WEALTH. 

saloons, and forbid the importation of any 
strong liquors from foreign countries. 

This plan probably will not prove agreeable 
to many persons. But let the Prohibitionists 
begin with themselves, some of them no doubt 
being creditors or bondholders — let them re- 
fuse to touch a cent derived from so vile a 
source ; thus they may give a glorious example, 
and prove by their generous self-sacrifice, the 
disinterestedness and sincerity of their course. 
Or if the Prohibitionists will not do this, if in 
them the flesh still conquers the spirit, let them 
at least point out the means by which the 
revenues, lost by total prohibition laws, may 
be otherwise procured — and thus save multi- 
tudes of public creditors from distress, and the 
government from bankruptcy. 

JSTow, dear Brother, you will very probably 
be dissatisfied with this incomplete represen- 
tation of the important subject of Temperance 
in drinks ; but on your return home, now hap- 
pily so near, we can unite with some of our 
friends and form a Society, where we can fully 
discuss the subject, and thence spread and en- 
force the principle of Temperance, thus pro- 
moting the happiness of individuals and fam- 
ilies, and the welfare of our country. 

Receive once more the assurance of the sin- 
cere regard of your affectionate sister 

Marian. 



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A work which the committee cannot describe without seeming to exagger- 
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and convincing as to maKe its novel conclusions appear like familiar common 
tense.— From Report of Committee of Prize Award. 

It contains a vast amount of able and conscientious thought and acute criti- 
cism.— Dr. McCosh, Prest. Princeton College. 

A specimen of robust thinking. lam very much gratified with its thorough- 
ness, acuteness and logical coherence.— Dr. Anderson, Pres't Rochester 
University. 

Ecclesioiogy: 

A Fresh Inquiry as to the Fundamental Idea and Con- 
stitution of the New Testament Church ; with a Sup- 
plement on Ordination. By Rev. E. J. Fisn, D. 1). 
Cloth extra, fine paper, 400 pp., 12mo. . Price $2 00. 

DOCTOR. Fish disposes this volume into four parts.— I. The Fundamental 
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self to his themes with the full earnestness of ability, clearness of logic, and 
conscientiousness of spirit which comprehensive treatment requires. As a 
" building fitly framed together," it is a fair-minded and standard contribu- 
tion to the best religious literature of the Christian age. 

The Beauty of the King: 

By Kev. A. H. Hoi/loway, A. M., author of "Good "Words 
for S. S. Teachers," "Teachers' Meetings," etc. Cloth extra, 
174 pp. 12mo, $1.00 ; full gilt, beveled edges, $1.25. 

A remarkably clear, comprehensive and intelligible exposition of the 
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now-a-days. 

Life for a Look : 

By Bev. A. H. Holloway, A. M. Paper covers, 32mo. 

Price, 15 cts. 

Earnest, cogent words, marrowy with the spirit of honest, old-fashioned 
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THE AUTHORS' PUBLISHING COMPANY'S NEW BOOKS. 

Christian Conception and Experience, 

By Rev. Wm. I. Gill, A. M., author of "Evolution and Pro- 
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A fresh exposition and argument, practically enforced by a remarkable narra- 
tive of the conversion of a skeptic through this same argument. ' While it exhibits in 
parts the philosophic cast of the author's mind, its vivacious and lucid treatment 
will create for it a universal interest This third work — in order of publication — 
by this fearless investigator, has, in large part, been written since his Trial before 
the Newark Methodist Episcopal Conference, under the charge of " Heresy," for 
writing his Evolution and Progress, and it supplies abundant, fresh and vigor « 
ous thought-pabulum for the entertainment of heretics, critics, and Christians alike. 

Resurrection of tJwBoclij, Does the Bible Teach it ? 

By E. Nisbet, D. D. With an Introduction by G. W. Sam- 
son, D. D., late President of Columbian University, D. C. 
Fine English cloth, i2mo. Price $1.00. 

This is the careful work of an independent thinker and bold investigator. He 
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JReverend Green Willingivood ; 

Or, Life Among the Clergy. By Rev. Robert Fisher. 
Silk cloth, ink and gold, beveled edges, full gilt. i2mo, $1.25. 
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4 THE AUTHORS' PUBLISHING CO.'S NEW BOOKS. 

Is Our Republic a Failure? 

A discussion of the Rights and the "Wrongs of the North and 
the South. By E. H. Watson, author of " United States and 
their Origin," etc. English cloth, ink and gold, 12mo, 436 
pp. . Price, $1.50 

In a spirit of genuine candor and. unswerving impartiality. — JV. Y. Sun. 

It is fair, candid, impartial, the whole subject well treated. — Hon. J. H 
Blake, of Boston. 

I like the spirit of the book, its comprehensive patriotism, its liberal 
spirit, and its healing counsels.— Hon. Geo. S. Hillard, author of " Frank- 
lin Readers," "Six Montlis in Italy " etc. 

I read the manuscript with much interest — an interest belonging to the 
arguments themselves, but now increased by the perfection given to the 
form and style. — Hon. Martin Breseher, Boston. 

Lucid and just. The method of the argument, the facts on which it pro- 
ceeds, and the conciliatory spirit which invests them, contribute to the book 
a value which cannot be too highly estimated. — Gen. John Cochrane. 

The principles of American statesmanship which it asserts, must essen- 
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constitutional republicanism. I shall spare no exertion to promote the 
knowledge of such an able and impartial and statesmanlike compendium of 
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Clearly expressed, and the argument is closely and ably maintained. The 
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public affairs, would secure the adoption of wise and beneficent counsels.— 
Hon. Geo. H. Pendleton, Ohio. 

Universe of Language : 

I. Its Nature. II. Structure. HI- Progress. Uni- 
form Notation and Classification of Vowels adapted to all 
Languages. By the late George Watson, Esq., of Bos- 
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the Spelling-Reform, by his daughter, E. H. Watson, 
author of '"Is Our Ptepublic a Failure?" etc. 12mo, 
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Life and Lectures of John Moffat, of Tenn: 

Edited by the Rev. R. L. Abernethy, President of Ruther- 
ford College, North Carolina. 12mo, paper covers, 50 cents. 
A work of thrilling interest, especially to young men. It presents the 
outline of a life of one who came up through great struggles, and whoee 
name has, over many States, become a household word as the advocate of 
Temperance, Education and Social Reform. 



1ME AUTHORS PUBLISHING CO.'S NEW HOOKS. 



PRACTICAL THOUGHT. 

Mercantile Prices and Profits > 

Or the Valuation of Commodities for a Fair Trade. 

By M. R. Pilon. Handsomely printed, 8vo., paper, 

100 pp., In Press. 

The author has brought broad experience and comprehensive research to 
Dear upon bis subjects. His style is terse and perspicuous. He uses the easy 
ani ecnoise language of an educated business man ; and, -with wonderful art, 
invests every chapter with the grace and charm of a well- told story. 

Monetary Feasts and Famines ; 

Labor, Values, Prices, Foreign and Fair Trade, Scarcity 
of Money and the Causes of Inflation. By M. R. Pilon , 
author of "The Grangers." Uniform with "The 
Grangers," — [In Press.) . • . 

Gold and Free Banks: 

Ways to arrive at the Demonetization of Gold and 
Silver, and the establishment of Private Banks under 
control of the National Government. By. M. It. 
Pilon, author of " The Grangers." Fifth Edition. 
8vo., 186 pp., paper cover, . . Price 75 cents. 

The work Is interesting, and especially valuable to financiers.— Jersey City 
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He gives expression to a good deal of sound financial principle.— Louisvilli 
Daily Commercial. 

it is full of common sense Valuable for its facts, its thoughts and its 

suggestions.— Troy Daily Whig. 

Is written in an interesting and popular style and contains much useful in- 
formation.— Oakland, Cal., Daily News. 

The subject of the high valuation of gold aud silver currency is fully dis- 
cussed, and offers some new ideas worthy the attention of those interested in 
monetary affairs. — To le.do Commercial. 

The author isa merchant who lias extensively studied tbe currency problem. 

His hits are often sharp and incisive Mr. I'ilon would provide ample 

banking facilities for every city, town and village, with both stock and land 
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Discussing the currency question in an original, forcible and enter- 
taining style. The author has brought together a great amount of varied 

information upon the whole subject of money, Those interested will find 

unquestioned ability in the author's handling of it.— Baltimore Methodist 
Protestant. 

The Manuscript Manual : 

How to Prepare Manuscripts for the Press— practical 
and to the point. Paper, 26 pp., 8vo. Price 10 cents. 

A most useful little companion to the young writerand editor.— The South, 
Hew York. 
Uives excellent hints to intending writers.— Cleveland Evan. Messenger 



THE AUTHDRS' PUBLISHING CO.'S NEW BOOKS. 

AESTHETIC THOUGHT. 

Srene; or, Beach-Broken Billows: 

A Story. By Mrs. B. F. Baer. author of " Lena's 
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Bare-Foot," etc., etc. The second volume of the Inter- 
national Prize Series. Second Edition. Cloth extra , 
fine thick paper. 1 irno. . . . Price $1 00. 

* Natural, honest and delicate. — New York Herald. 

Charming and thoughtful. — Poughkeepsie Eagle. 

Depicted in strong terms. — Baptist Union, Neiv York. 

Eminently pleasing and profitable. — Christian Era, Boston. 

A fascinating volume. — Georgia Musical Eclectic Magazine. 

Characters and plot fresh and original. — Bridgeport News. 

With freshness, clearness, and vigor. — Neb. Watchman. 

Delightful book. — Saturday Revicxo, Louisville, Ky. 

Lays open a whole network of the tender and emotional. — 
Williamsp)ort {Pa.) Daily Register, 

The unity is well preserved, the characters maintaining that 
probability so essential in the higher forms of fiction. — Balti- 
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There is a peculiar charm in the reading of this book, which 
every one who peruses it must feel. It is very like to that 
which is inspired in reading any of Hawthorne's romances. — 
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Wild Fiowers: 

Poems. By Charles W. Hubner, author of 
" Souvenirs of Luther." Elegantly printed on fine 
tinted paper, with portrait of the Author, imitation 
morocco and beveled edges, 196 pp., 12mo. Just ready , 
Price $i.oo. The same, gilt top, beveled edges, $1.25 

As a poet Mr. Hutjneu is conservative— always tender and delicate, never 
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and brings us, from the humblest places and in the humblest guises, beauties 
of the heart, the lite, the universe, and, while placing them before our vision, 
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never dreamed. 



Her Waiting Heart: 

A :Novel. By Lou Capsadell, author of "Hallow 
E'en." Cloth extra, 192 pp., 12mo. Just ready. $1 00. 

A story of New York— drawn from the familiar phases of life, which, under 
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THE AUTHORS' PUBLISHING CO.'S NEW BOOKS. 7 

Shadowed Perils: 

A Novel. By M. A. Avery, author of *f The Loyal 
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Egypt Ennis; or, Prisons Without Walls: 

A Novel. By Kelsic Etheridge. Paper, 97 pp., 
8vo., Price, 25 cents. 

Has the curiosity-exciting tendency. — Boston Beacon. 

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The Travelers' Grab-Bag ; or, the Heart of a Quiet Hour : 

A Hand-book for utilizing fragments of leisure in railroad 
trains, steamboats, way stations and easy chairs. Edited 
by An Old Traveler. . . . Paper, 100 pp., 
8vo Price, 25 cents. 

Full of spice and fun.— Baltimore Meth. Prot. 
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The Anti-Biled Shirt Club: 

Clear type, heavy tinted paper, 12mo, . . 35 cents. 
The curious and. ludicrous experiences of a party of gentlemen who 
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3 THE AUTHOES' PUBLISHING CO.'S NEW BOOKS. 

Women's Secrets; or, How to be Beautiful: 

Translated and Edited from the Persian and French, with 
additions from the best English authorities. By Lou. 
Capsadell, author of "Her Waiting Heart," "Hallow 
E'en," etc. Pp. 100, 12ino. 

Saratoga Edition, in Scotch granite paper covers, 25 cents. 
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The systems, directions and recipes for promoting Personal Beauty, as practiced for 
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Sumners' Poems: 

By Samuel B. Sumner and Charles A. Sumner. With 
Illustrations by E. Stewart Sumner. On fine tinted 
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The Buccaneers: 

A stirring Historical Novel. By Randolph Jones, Esq. 
Large 12mo, 551 pp., paper, $1. ; cloth extra, . $1.75 

Is drawn from the most daring deeds of the Buccaneers and the sharpest 
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animation of the bold and ambitious spirits whose acts it records with ex- 
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J@f~ Inclose three-cent stamp for pamphlet, comprising des • 
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THE AUTHORS' PUBLISHING CO., 

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9 
The Race for Wealth, 

Considered in a Series of Letters, written to each other by 
a Brother and Sister. Edited by James Corley. 12rno, 
180 pp., paper Price, 50 cents. 

This work, while showing the social and political dangers arising from vast 
private accumulations, shows also the absurdity of the doctrine of Communism 
or equality of property ; how labor Strikes may be prevented ; how Women 
may advance their political influence ; how Marriage may recover due regard 
in public opinion, and how Divorces may be lessened if not altogether pre- 
vented ; the impossibility of enforcing Total Abstinence from strong liquors, 
but also how Temperance may be promoted. These subjects, with others, are 
treated in a clear style, suitable for familiar letters, and with such grace and 
skill as to make the work peculiarly attractive and impressive. 

Why Don't Fido Eat Candy? 

By Elizabeth Murray. Illustrated. 12mo, paper, 35 
cents ; cloth extra, 75 cents. 

A crisp, sprightly Story for Everybody and Everybody's Children — with 
pointed suggestiveness for Other People and charming comfort for Ourselves— 
prettily woven from the innermost scenes of real life which a vivid narrative 
artfully culls from stricken tenements and fashionable mansions of the great 
city. 



THE RACE FOR WEALTH 



CONSIDERED IN A SERIES OF LETTERS; 



WRITTEN, TO EACH OTHER, 



BY A BROTHER AJSD SISTER. 




NEW YORK : 
THE AUTHORS' PUBLISHING COMPANY, 

1878. 



PRICE, 50 CENTS. 



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